A midshipman is a student training to become a naval officer. The term comes from the days of sailing ships, when young trainees literally worked and lived in the middle section (amidships) of the vessel, learning navigation, seamanship, and military duties while at sea.

Today, midshipmen attend naval academies like the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where they spend four years studying subjects like engineering, leadership, and naval science. They wear uniforms, follow military discipline, and train for the serious responsibility of commanding sailors and ships. During summers, they practice aboard real naval vessels, getting hands-on experience with modern navigation systems, weapons, and ship operations.

In some navies, the rank sits between enlisted sailors and commissioned officers. Think of midshipmen as apprentices learning a highly skilled profession, similar to how a young doctor trains in medical school before becoming a full physician. After graduation, midshipmen at academies like Annapolis receive their commissions as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps, ready to lead sailors and Marines in protecting their country at sea and around the world.

The word can also refer to certain small, luminescent fish that live in ocean waters, though this meaning is far less common.