subaltern
     adj : inferior in rank or status; "the junior faculty"; "a lowly
           corporal"; "petty officialdom"; "a subordinate
           functionary" [syn: {junior-grade}, {inferior}, {lower},
            {lower-ranking}, {lowly}, {petty(a)}, {secondary}, {subordinate}]
     n : a British commissioned army officer below the rank of
         captain
Source: WordNet® 2.0