noun
cadet
kuh-DET/kəˈdet/
A young person training for service in a uniformed organization.
The police cadet practices a traffic signal under the instructor's guidance.
Etymology
A “little head” was a junior head of a family—a younger son. Younger noble sons’ entry into military service gave the word its sense of an officer candidate undergoing training.
In context
ethan owens ethan is a norwich university fourth year cadet and a member of the norwich army rotc
More examples
- Several cadets marched across the training ground.
- She entered the academy as a cadet.
- The instructor checked each cadet's equipment.
Forms
cadet · cadets
Similar words
- trainee
- The broader word without the uniformed-service association.
- recruit
- A recruit is newly enlisted and need not be training for officer status.