commando

[ kuh-man-doh, -mahn- ]
See synonyms for: commandocommandoescommandos on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural com·man·dos, com·man·does.
    • any of the specially trained Allied military units used for surprise, hit-and-run raids against Axis forces.

    • a member of any of these units.: Compare ranger (def. 3).

  1. any military unit organized for operations similar to those of the commandos of World War II.

  1. a member of a military assault unit or team trained to operate quickly and aggressively in especially urgent, threatening situations, as against terrorists holding hostages.

Idioms about commando

  1. go commando, Slang. to wear pants, shorts, a skirt, etc., with no underwear.

Origin of commando

1
First recorded in 1785–95; from Afrikaans kommando “raid, raiding party, a unit of militia,” from Portuguese commando “unit commanded,” noun derivative of commandar “to command

Words Nearby commando

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use commando in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for commando

commando

/ (kəˈmɑːndəʊ) /


nounplural -dos or -does
    • an amphibious military unit trained for raiding

    • a member of such a unit

  1. the basic unit of the Royal Marine Corps

  1. (originally) an armed force raised by Boers during the Boer War

  2. (modifier) denoting or relating to a commando or force of commandos: a commando raid; a commando unit

adverb
  1. go commando informal to wear no underpants

Origin of commando

1
C19: from Afrikaans kommando, from Dutch commando command, from French commander to command

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