captain

A chief or leader.

Noun

  1. A chief or leader.
    • For out of the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel. - 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew ij:
    • Stand up-stand up, Northumberland! / I bid you answer true, / If England's King has under his hand / A Captain as good as you? - 1929, Rudyard Kipling, The English Way:
  2. The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
    • Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […] naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter. - 1873, Jules Verne,...
    • The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship.
  3. An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.
    • "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out...
  4. A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.
  5. A commissioned officer in the United States Navy, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps, or PHS Corps of a grade superior to a commander and junior to a rear admiral (lower half). A captain is equal in grade or rank to a United States Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.
  6. A rank qualifying an airline pilot to act as pilot in command of a two-pilot flight crew.

    Coordinate Terms: first officer copilot

  7. One of the athletes on a sports team who is designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.
    • Captain's supposed to be the leader, right? - 2000, Gregory Allen Howard, Remember the Titans:
    • As Di Matteo celebrated and captain John Terry raised the trophy for the fourth time, the Italian increased his claims to become the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas by landing a trophy. - 2012 May 5, Phil...
  8. The leader of a group of workers.
    • John Henry said to the captain, "A man ain't nothing but a man."
    • The assistant mine captains then reported to the mine captain in charge of all underground operations and subordinate only to the superintendent himself. - 1990, Marshall C. Eakin, A British Enterprise in Brazil:
  9. The head boy of a school.
  10. A maître d', a headwaiter.
    • 1977, Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey, lyricists, "Hotel California", So I called up the Captain, "Please bring me my wine." / He said: "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969."
  11. An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

Origin

From Middle English capitain, capteyn, from Old French capitaine, from Late Latin capitāneus, from Latin caput (“head”) (English cap). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-. Doublet of chieftain, also from Old French.

Forms

captains

Synonyms

supervisor straw boss foreman skipper master pilot pilot in command CAPT Capt. Capt CPT

Derived

barangay captain bell captain block captain bus captain Captain America captain ball captaincy captainess captain-general captain general captainish captainless captainlike captainly captain of industry captain of sea and war captain of the fleet captain regent captain save a hoe Captains Flat captainship captain's servant cocaptain copper captain

Verb

  1. To act as captain
  2. To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

Forms

captains captaining captained

Related

cap capital capitalism capitulate capitulation chapiter chapter chief chieftain