staff sergeant

noun

1. U.S. Air Force. a noncommissioned officer ranking below a technical sergeant and above an airman first class.
2. U.S. Army. a noncommissioned officer ranking below a sergeant first class and above a sergeant.
3. U.S. Marine Corps. a noncommissioned officer ranking below a gunnery sergeant and above a sergeant.

staff sergeant

noun

1. a noncommissioned officer holding a rank between sergeant and warrant officer and employed on administrative duties
2. 1. (in the Army) a noncommissioned officer who ranks above sergeant and below sergeant first class
   2. (in the Air Force) a noncommissioned officer who ranks above airman first class and below technical sergeant
   3. (in the Marine Corps) a noncommissioned officer who ranks above sergeant and below gunnery sergeant

Word History and Origins

Origin of staff sergeant¹

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

“A staff sergeant said, ‘Why don’t we seal the body permanently?’”

From New York Times

He earned 13 awards, including the Army Achievement Medal and Army Good Conduct Medal, and was promoted to staff sergeant in January 2008.

From Seattle Times

He’s the father of Rose Lubin, who grew up in suburban Atlanta but moved to Israel, becoming a staff sergeant in the Israeli army before she was stabbed to death in Jerusalem on Nov. 6.

From Seattle Times

Air Force staff sergeant from Massachusetts who was one of eight service members lost when a CV-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan are being returned home.

From Seattle Times

In the ensuing conversation, the lance corporal accused him "of playing the race card", at which point a more senior soldier, a white staff sergeant, got involved.

From BBC