colour sergeant
Preserved but no longer current.
Originally the senior non-commissioned officer of a military unit, who had charge of the regimental colours in the field. It is now a rank, bearing a sergeant's chevrons but carrying with it extra pay, and is awarded for special responsibilities greater than those of a sergeant but not sufficient to deserve warrant officer's rank. The equivalent in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, which, does not bear colours, is staff sergeant.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “colour sergeant” mean?
Originally the senior non-commissioned officer of a military unit, who had charge of the regimental colours in the field. It is now a rank, bearing a sergeant's chevrons but carrying with it extra pay, and is awarded for special responsibilities greater than those of a sergeant but not sufficient to deserve warrant officer's rank. The equivalent in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, which, does not bear colours, is staff sergeant.
Is “colour sergeant” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.