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

Other Word Forms

• commandership noun
• subcommander noun
• subcommandership noun
• undercommander 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

When Mr. Hart discusses commanders and strategy his views are typically trenchant and insightful.

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The police evaluation was based primarily on information given to the force by Dutch police commanders ahead of the game, the MPs heard.

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Mexico’s first female president also serves as military commander in chief.

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When they have just suffered a defeat, the army commanders consistently vow to avenge their losses and regain their pride.

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He helped guard US forces at Kabul airport at the time of the withdrawal, a former military commander who served alongside him told the BBC.

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Related Words

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