English Meaning & Definitions
The ordinary members of an organization, society, or workforce, excluding the leaders or officers.
- “The union leaders negotiated a contract, but it still needed to be approved by the rank and file.”
- “Morale among the rank and file has dropped significantly following the recent budget cuts.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “rank and file”.
Originating from military terminology in the 17th century, 'rank' referred to the horizontal rows of soldiers standing side by side, while 'file' referred to the vertical columns standing one behind the other. Together, the 'rank and file' described ordinary enlisted soldiers who made up the bulk of the army, as distinguished from commissioned officers. Over time, the phrase expanded metaphorically to refer to the ordinary members of any organization, labor union, or political party rather than its leaders.
Picture soldiers standing in rows (ranks) and columns (files)—these are the ordinary troops, not the generals.
Frequently Asked Questions About “rank and file”
1. What is the meaning of “rank and file” in English?
In English, rank and file (noun) is defined as: “The ordinary members of an organization, society, or workforce, excluding the leaders or officers.”.
2. How do you use “rank and file” in a sentence?
“The union leaders negotiated a contract, but it still needed to be approved by the rank and file.”
3. What are English synonyms of “rank and file”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “rank and file”?
Originating from military terminology in the 17th century, 'rank' referred to the horizontal rows of soldiers standing side by side, while 'file' referred to the vertical columns standing one behind the other. Together, the 'rank and file' described ordinary enlisted soldiers who made up the bulk of the army, as distinguished from commissioned officers. Over time, the phrase expanded metaphorically to refer to the ordinary members of any organization, labor union, or political party rather than its leaders.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.