captain
//ˈkæp.tɪn//
informalForms
- Plural
- captains
- present (v1)
- captain
- past (v2)
- captained
- past participle (v3)
- captained
- present participle
- captaining
- 3rd person singular
- captains
Definitions
1.A chief or leader.
- For out of the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel.
- Stand up-stand up, Northumberland! / I bid you answer true, / If England's King has under his hand / A Captain as good as you?
2.The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
- The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship.
- 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.
3.An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.
4.A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.
1.To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.
2.To act as captain
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1568
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Related words
Word family
Etymology
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.