commandant
Americannoun
-
the commanding officer of a place, group, etc..
the commandant of a naval base.
-
the title of the senior officer and head of the U.S. Marine Corps.
-
U.S. Army. a title generally given to the heads of military schools.
-
a commander.
noun
Etymology
Origin of commandant
1680–90; < French, noun use of present participle of commander to command; see -ant
Explanation
One name for a commanding military officer is a commandant. In the US, a commandant is typically in charge of a military school or training facility. Many English-speaking militaries use the word commandant in various ways — in Ireland, for example, a commandant in the Army is the same as a major. The senior officer at a military college in New Zealand is also a commandant. In the US, commandant isn't a rank, like private or general, but an appointed position. In French, commandant means "the one commanding," from the verb commander, "to order."
Vocabulary lists containing commandant
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Echo
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Prisoner B-3087
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., met with the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, Admiral Kevin Lunday, to discuss the policy.
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2025
In 2024 I helped the nonprofit Counter Extremism Project buy the house next door to Auschwitz, where camp commandant Rudolf Höss lived with his family.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
Then he laid eyes on 15-year-old Conchita Arguella, who was also, conveniently, the daughter of the commandant of the San Francisco Presidio.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2025
The Nazi officer made commandant of the concentration camp, Rudolf Höss, brought the motto Arbeit Macht Frei - works sets you free - from another camp where he had worked, at Dachau in Germany.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025
That pigeon-chested commandant Bastian with his grandmother’s walk; he said they would strip the hesitation out of him.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
