90-day wonder
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Newly-commissioned graduate of three-month Officer Candidate School (Army, Air Force), Midshipman School (Navy), or Direct Commissioning program.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “90-day wonder” mean?
Newly-commissioned graduate of three-month Officer Candidate School (Army, Air Force), Midshipman School (Navy), or Direct Commissioning program.
Is “90-day wonder” formal or informal?
90-day wonder is generally derogatory, slang.