commander

[ kuh-man-der, -mahn- ]

noun

1. a person who commands.
2. a person who exercises authority; chief officer; leader.
3. the commissioned officer in command of a military unit.
4. U.S. Navy. an officer ranking below a captain and above a lieutenant commander.
5. a police officer in charge of a precinct or other unit.
6. the chief officer of a commandery in the medieval orders of Knights Hospitalers, Knights Templars, and others.
7. a member of one of the higher classes or ranks in certain modern fraternal orders, as in the Knights Templars.

commander

/ kəˈmɑːndə /

noun

1. an officer in command of a military formation or operation
2. a naval commissioned rank junior to captain but senior to lieutenant commander
3. the second in command of larger British warships
4. someone who holds authority
5. a high-ranking member of some knightly or fraternal orders
6. an officer responsible for a district of the Metropolitan Police in London
7. history the administrator of a house, priory, or landed estate of a medieval religious order

Derived Forms

• comˈmanderˌship, noun

Other Words From

• com·mander·ship noun
• subcom·mander noun
• subcom·mander·ship noun
• under·com·mander noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commander¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French comandere, equivalent to comand ( er ) to command + -ere < Latin -ātōr- -ator

Example Sentences

Qasem Suleimani was appointed as commander of the force in 1997.

From The Daily Beast

“He was a brave field commander and an expert in intelligence, and in organizing popular and tribal forces,” said the eulogist.

From The Daily Beast

Zaim Ali, a Peshmerga commander, said: “We have established a military plan to clear ISIS from all of areas.”

From The Daily Beast

This is not lost on their commander, Rama (Shani Klein), an aspiring military careerist who looks down on frivolity in wartime.

From The Daily Beast

Francis fired the uncompromising commander of his Swiss Guard.

From The Daily Beast

More soldiers crowded into the cave and Professor-Commander Krafft came in behind them.

From Project Gutenberg

By the end of the campaign of 1796 he had proved that he was as great a chief of the staff as Bonaparte was a great commander.

From Project Gutenberg

The commander of this fleet was an Englishman, according to the agreement between them.

From Project Gutenberg

The commander-in-chief still kept him attached to the headquarter staff, and constantly employed him on special service.

From Project Gutenberg

So far Murat had always held subordinate commands; his great ambition was to become the commander-in-chief of an independent army.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• administrator
• captain
• chief
• commandant
• director
• head
• officer
• ruler