captain

[kap-tuhn, -tin]

noun

1. a person who is at the head of or in authority over others; chief; leader.

2. an officer ranking in most armies above a first lieutenant and below a major.

3. an officer in the U.S. Navy ranking above a commander and below a rear admiral or a commodore.

4. a military leader.

5. an officer in the police department, ranking above a lieutenant and usually below an inspector.

6. an officer of the fire department, usually in command of a company, ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief or assistant chief.

7. the commander of a merchant vessel.

8. the pilot of an airplane.

9. a local official in a political party responsible for organizing votes on a ward or precinct level.

10. Sports.,  the field leader of a team.

    The captain of the home team elected to receive on the kickoff.

11. a person of great power and influence, especially based on economic wealth.

12. headwaiter.

13. bell captain.

14. South Midland and Southern U.S.,  an unofficial title of respect for a man (sometimes used humorously or ironically).

verb (used with object)

1. to lead or command as a captain.

captain

/ ˈkæptɪn /

noun

1. the person in charge of and responsible for a vessel

2. an officer of the navy who holds a rank junior to a rear admiral but senior to a commander

3. an officer of the army, certain air forces, and the marine corps who holds a rank junior to a major but senior to a lieutenant

4. the officer in command of a civil aircraft, usually the senior pilot

5. the leader of a team in games

6. a person in command over a group, organization, etc; leader

   a captain of industry

7. a police officer in charge of a precinct

8. (formerly) a head waiter

9. Also called: bell captain. a supervisor of bellboys in a hotel

10. informal,  a person who is buying drinks for people in a bar

verb

1. (tr) to be captain of

Other Word Forms

• subcaptain noun
• uncaptained adjective
• undercaptain noun
• captaincy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of captain¹

1325–75; Middle English capitain < Anglo-French capitain, captayn < Late Latin capitāneus chief, equivalent to capit- (stem of caput ) head + -ān ( us ) -an + -eus -eous

Word History and Origins

Origin of captain¹

C14: from Old French capitaine, from Late Latin capitāneus chief, from Latin caput head

Example Sentences

This was a win also achieved without the injured Cole Palmer, with Manchester City's Phil Foden left out of the squad, and with injured captain Harry Kane watching from the sidelines.

Read more on BBC

When you’re the Yankees’ captain, however, the only month that truly matters is the final one on the baseball calendar.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

In one case, a captain who had tested positive for elevated carbon monoxide levels in his blood moments earlier refused his airline’s request to continue with his next flight.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Bradley ultimately left himself off the roster, but that was just the start of the difficult choices he will face as captain.

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Last year, he punched the then-Bruins captain hard enough to knock him out of two games.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• boss 
• commander 
• director 
• executive 
• leader 
• officer 
• operator 
• owner 
• pilot 
• skipper