leutnant

From Middle French lieutenant (“lieutenant; deputy”), from tenir le lieu de (“to keep the position of”). Early on, the form was folk-etymologically reshaped, the first syllable being associated with Leute (“folk, men”), the last syllable sometimes with Amt (“post, office”). The normal spoken form in German has been Leut(e)nant since the 17th century, although the French spelling Lieutenant remained common and became standard in the 19th century. The contemporary spelling was introduced in the Ge