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captain Definition

cap·tain (kap′tən)

noun

    1. a chief or leader captains of industry
    2. an important military leader
  2. the head of a group or division; specif.,
    1. U.S. Mil. an officer ranking above a first lieutenant and below a major
    2. U.S. Navy an officer ranking above a commander and below a commodore
    3. the person in command of a ship
    4. the pilot of an airplane
    5. the spokesman for a team in certain sports
    6. ☆ a precinct commander in a police or fire department
    7. ☆ a district leader of a political party
    8. ☆ headwaiter
    9. ☆ bell captain

Etymology: ME capitain < OFr capitaine < LL capitaneus, chief < L caput, head

transitive verb

to be captain of; lead

captain Related Forms

cap′·taincy (-sē) noun pl. -·cies cap′·tain·ship′ noun

captain Synonyms

captain

n.

  1. A leader

    director, commander, authority, chief; see administrator, guide 1, leader 2.

  2. The officer in charge of a company

    company commander, commanding officer, junior officer, staff officer, commander, CO, skipper*; see also officer 3.

  3. One in command of a ship

    skipper, commander, operator, master, shipmaster, cap*, Old Man*; see also officer 3, pilot 2.

captain Usage Examples

Converse of object

appoint: Each team of 5 players will appoint a team captain.

Adjective modifier

  • inspirational: The match, organized by Palace's inspirational former captain Geoff Thomas, is set for next Thursday 6th April with a 7.45pm kick-off.
  • naval: He himself had became a naval captain, commanding the Revenge.
  • former: The match, organized by Palace's inspirational former captain Geoff Thomas, is set for next Thursday 6th April with a 7.45pm kick-off.
  • injured: He was called Stephen Davis and was not to be confused with the injured club captain Steve Davis.
  • Australian: The sound of a beaten Australian captain comes close to the sound of angels playing harps.

Modifies a noun

  • casey: Activities and snorkeling briefing captain casey conservative rep aboard holland america.
  • armband: Chorley took up the captains armband, much to the delight of the traveling supporters.
  • bate: Captain BATES: The theft case is extremely straightforward.
  • james: To the labor now-legendary captain james delicate black patterns how long it.

Noun used with modifier

  • vise: Mr W. Pretty was elected captain, Mr. H. Hill vise captain.
  • pirate: Years later I wrote myself a starring role in a Footlights sketch as a pirate captain who did nothing but lurch about shouting orders.
  • cricket: Imran Khan was more than just Pakistan's cricket captain.
  • U-boat: He was famous in Germany as he had been a World War One U-boat captain.
  • stand-in: Well, Duncan Fletcher is a predictable man - he won't look past Strauss and Flintoff for his stand-in captains.
  • tourcall: Shock the first weigh over poundsmanatees tourcall captain cook had been with.

Possessives

  • armband: He had been handed the captain's armband, but was frustrated with Fourth Division football and submitted a transfer request.
  • innings: Playing a superb captain's innings, Bob Miller went for every ball.

Preposition: of

  • guard: Potiphar was his name, the captain of the guard, probably meaning the head chief bodyguard in the royal palace.
  • steamer: I heard my friends bargain with the captain of a steamer to take me across the lake.