commando

A small fighting force specially trained for making quick destructive raids against enemy-held areas.

Noun

  1. A small fighting force specially trained for making quick destructive raids against enemy-held areas.
    • The most important objective was at Batna itself, where a group of three commandos each comprising ten men was to attack Deleplanque's sub-prefecture […]. - 1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York: Review...
  2. A commando trooper.
    • Ben Grant, 30, who spent more than five years as a commando in the Royal Marines, is part of group of seven ex-servicemen who arrived in Ukraine over the weekend to fight invading Russian forces. - 2022 March 8, “Tory...

    Synonyms: commandoman

  3. An organized force of Boer troops in South Africa; a raid by such troops.

Origin

From Afrikaans kommando, from Portuguese comando (“command”), from Late Latin *commandare, from Latin commendare.

Forms

commandos commandoes

Derived

commando cloth commandolike commandoman go commando steak commando