cadet

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a student or trainee preparing to become a military or police officer

   The cadet spent the summer learning navigation and field discipline.

2. 2
   noun

   historical: a younger son or junior member of a noble family, especially one outside the main line of inheritance

   As a cadet of the house, he inherited the family name but not the estate.

Simplified etymology

Cadet comes from Gascon French capdet, literally “little head” and hence “junior,” based on Latin caput, “head.” It was used for a younger son and also gave rise, through its Scottish form caddie, to cad.

Borrowed from French cadet, from Gascon capdet, 'captain or younger son,' ultimately from Late Latin capitellum, 'little head.' The family sense referred to a younger son who would not inherit the main estate; because such sons often sought military careers, cadet became the standard term for an officer trainee.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary