wing commander

American  

noun

1. British. an officer in the Royal Air Force equivalent in rank to a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

2. an officer of the U.S. Navy or Air Force who commands a wing.

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wing commander British  

noun

1. an officer holding commissioned rank in certain air forces, such as the Royal Air Force: junior to a group captain and senior to a squadron leader

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Etymology

Origin of wing commander

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

"He is a captive of Mr. Museveni and his son, the army commander," his wife, who is also executive director for UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, told local media.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

Then a regional army commander filed a lèse-majesté complaint against a US academic, resulting in him being jailed and then forced to leave Thailand.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2025

Lebanese army commander elected president weeks after a tenuous cease-fire agreement halted a 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2025

Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said crews targeted several flying objects.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

On June 7, 1790, Secretary of War Henry Knox told an army commander that the frontier was so extensive that it would be “altogether impossible” to defend.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz