captain
Meaning
-
- A chief or leader.
- The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
- An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.
- A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.
- A commissioned officer in the United States Navy, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps, or PHS Corps of a grade superior to a commander and junior to a rear admiral (lower half). A captain is equal in grade or rank to a United States Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.
- One of the athletes on a sports team who is designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.
- The leader of a group of workers.
- The head boy of a school.
- A maître d', a headwaiter.
- An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.
Synonyms
maitre d’
sea captain
police captain
maitre d’hotel
senior pilot
squadron-leader
Capt.
an army captain
yesaul
mountain king
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈkæp.tɪn/
Etymology
In summary
From Middle English capitain, capteyn, from Old French capitaine, from Late Latin capitāneus, from Latin caput (“head”) (English cap). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-. Doublet of chieftain, also from Old French.
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Notes
