What is the Origin of the Phrase ‘Rank and File’?

The rank and file of an organization means the general population or ordinary people. In other words, it means followers rather than leaders.

This term comes from the military, where the phrase is used to refer to the soldiers as opposed to the officers.

In the military, Rank and File actually refers to the specific lineups in which the soldiers of a platoon stand during assembly. The row in which soldiers stand side by side is known as a rank and the column in which the soldiers stand one behind the other is called a file.

All the ordinary soldiers stand in this way except the officers who stand before the platoon and lead it in the parade.

Although the phrase originated in the military, it is now used in the context of any organization or a group.

For example —

“The management has made a highly controversial decision by canceling all holidays for the next 3 months. Rank and file aren’t too happy about it.”

It means that the employees below the managerial positions are not happy about this decision.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.