Why Major General is smaller rank than Lt Gen when Maj is bigger than Lt?

Why a Lieutenant General Ranks Above a Major General: The History Behind the Confusing Title

Ever looked at military ranks and scratched your head wondering, “Why does a Lieutenant General outrank a Major General when a Major outranks a Lieutenant?”

You’re not alone. It’s one of the most puzzling aspects of military hierarchy. But the answer lies in history, not logic. Let’s break it down in the simplest way

The Original Military Command Structure

Long ago, armies had different names for their ranks than we use today. At the top of the command chain was the Captain General — the overall commander of an army. Think of this person as today’s full General.

Under the Captain General was his deputy, the Lieutenant General. The word “lieutenant” comes from French, meaning “in place of.” So a Lieutenant General was literally the officer acting in place of the Captain General.

Then came the Sergeant Major General. This officer helped oversee the army at a high level, combining the functions of senior non-commissioned roles and junior command roles. Over time, this rank was shortened to just Major General.

Where did The Confusion Begin

By the 18th century, the military began dropping parts of those longer titles:

• “Captain General” became simply General
• “Lieutenant General” stayed the same
• “Sergeant Major General” was shortened to Major General

Now, this is where the confusion started. In the lower officer ranks, a Major is indeed higher than a Lieutenant. So, to a civilian unfamiliar with military history, it’s natural to assume that a Major General should outrank a Lieutenant General. However, Major General is actually a shortened form of the older title Sergeant Major General, which was historically below the Lieutenant General — and is not directly related to the rank of Major in the lower officer structure.

A Quick Recap in Order of Rank (High to Low)

1. General
2. Lieutenant General
3. Major General
4. Brigadier
5. Colonel
6. Lt Colonel
7. Major
8. Captain
9. Lieutenant

Why This Still Matters

Followed in Indian army, This structure exists in many modern armies including those of the USA, UK. It’s a classic case of how tradition and history continue to influence.

The military rank structure isn’t broken — it’s just historical. Once you understand the origin of these titles, the confusion clears up. Many high ranks officers do not know this even to this date and this could be asked in your SSB Interview. So next time someone wonders why a Lieutenant General outranks a Major General, you’ll have the answer ready