Drill instructor means: The generic term for the principal instructor of fresh military recruits undergoing basic training in the various branches of the United States military, routinely abbreviated to the initialism DI;. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
drill instructor
(US, _, military) The generic term for the principal instructor of fresh military recruits undergoing basic training in the various branches of the United States military, routinely abbreviated to the
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#1·Apr 27, 2026
(US, _, military) The generic term for the principal instructor of fresh military recruits undergoing basic training in the various branches of the United States military, routinely abbreviated to the initialism DI; always filled by enlisted personnel (a sergeant or petty officer).
For parents
Drill instructor means: The generic term for the principal instructor of fresh military recruits undergoing basic training in the various branches of the United States military, routinely abbreviated to the initialism DI;. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
drill instructor means: The generic term for the principal instructor of fresh military recruits undergoing basic training in the various branches of the United States military, routinely abbreviated to. Register: informal, military jargon. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: authority_figure
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "drill instructor" (D)
drill checkdrill codeddrill coredrill energydrillerdrill goddrill kingdrill modedrill pilleddrill queendrill updrilvis
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