English Reference

Word

capt

Phoneticscapt

Definition

n. Stands for Captain. It is a short way to write the rank of a leader in the army, navy, or a sports team.

n. Abbreviation for Captain. Used primarily as a written honorific or rank designation in military, police, or nautical contexts.

Examples

“Capt. Miller led the team during the mission.”

“The letter was addressed to Capt. Sarah Jenkins, who had served in the navy for twenty years.”

“While the formal documents listed him as a commander, the local crew always referred to him as Capt. Smith out of long-standing habit and respect for his previous rank.”

Examples

simple

“Capt. Miller led the team during the mission.”

contextual

“The letter was addressed to Capt. Sarah Jenkins, who had served in the navy for twenty years.”

complex

“While the formal documents listed him as a commander, the local crew always referred to him as Capt. Smith out of long-standing habit and respect for his previous rank.”

Usage

Always capitalized when used as a title before a name; usually followed by a period in American English.

Teaching tip

Learners should note that while 'Capt.' is common in writing, the full word 'Captain' is almost always used in speech.

Synonyms

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated
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Formal, Technical

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English Reference