The presumed origin of the rank of lance corporal derives from an amalgamation of "corporal" from the Italian phrase capo corporale ("head of the body") with the now-archaic lancepesade, which in turn derives from the Italian lancia spezzata, which literally means "broken lance" or "broken spear", formerly a non-commissioned officer of the lowest rank.

Although officially they have a NATO grade of OR3, they are often treated as OR5s when working with U.S. forces as they have the same battlefield role of fire team commander as a sergeant in the U.S. Army.

The badge of rank is a single point-down chevron worn on both sleeves, or on an epaulette on the front of the Combat Soldier 95 dress standard.

However, lance corporals in the Foot Guards, Honourable Artillery Company, 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards and The Queen's Royal Hussars wear two chevrons and lance corporals in the Household Cavalry wear two chevrons surmounted by a gilt crown.

In the infantry, a lance corporal usually serves as second-in-command of a section and commander of its delta fire team.

In the Intelligence Corps and Royal Military Police, all other ranks are promoted to lance corporal on completion of their training.

On 1 April 2010, the rank of lance corporal was introduced into the RAF Regiment, although it is not used by other branches of the Royal Air Force.

National servicemen are usually promoted to this rank after completing their respective vocational courses and within the first year of service.

Servicemen who fail to pass their Individual physical proficiency test (IPPT) during their active service will have their rank capped at LCP regardless of vocation.

NPCC and NCDCC lance corporals wear the same rank insignia as that of an SCDF lance corporal, except that the letters 'NPCC' and 'NCDCC' are below the insignia so as to differentiate NPCC and NCDCC cadets from Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel respectively.

Lance corporal was a title used in the United States Army to denote privates serving as temporary non-commissioned officers.

42, June 30, 1897, Part II, the lance corporal is authorised to wear "...a chevron having one bar..." In Regulations for the Army of the United States 1904 (Article XXX, Paragraph 263), "...no company shall have more than one lance corporal at a time, unless there are noncommissioned officers absent by authority, during which absences there may be one for each absentee."

This proscription appears again in Article XXX, Paragraph 272 of Regulations for the Army of the United States 1910, and the editions of 1913, and 1917 "Corrected to April 15, 1917 (Changes, Nos.

However, the Institute of Heraldry states that some older U.S. Army Tables of Organization and Equipment still in use in 1940 continued to authorise lance corporals.

In February 1965, the US Army announced that, effective from 1 September 1965, pay grade E-3 would be redesignated as lance corporal.

Further promotion to the NCO ranks (corporal and above) is competitive and takes into account the individual service record of the marine.

[27][28] Some law enforcement agencies, most notably the South Carolina Highway Patrol, use the rank for non-supervisory officers.