commander
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who is in charge of a military group or operation.
an officer who exercises authority and direction over a military or naval unit.
Simple“The commander ordered the soldiers to return to the base immediately.”
In context“The supreme commander coordinated the joint task force across three different time zones to ensure the operation's success.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a specific rank for an officer in the navy, just below a captain.
a naval officer rank positioned above lieutenant commander and below captain.
Simple“After ten years of service, she was promoted to the rank of commander.”
In context“The commander took charge of the frigate while the captain was attending the briefing at headquarters.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a high-ranking official in the police or the person in charge of a spacecraft.
a senior rank in various non-military organisations, such as police forces or NASA flight crews.
Simple“The mission commander checked the fuel levels before the rocket took off.”
In context“The incident commander established a perimeter around the building to manage the emergency response effectively.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a special title given to someone as an award or honour.
a specific grade or rank within an order of chivalry or an honorary society.
Simple“He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his charity work.”
In context“The scientist was appointed a Commander of the Legion of Honour in recognition of her contributions to global health.”
Usage commander in chief
“Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of the US Special Operations Command, is in the Philippines after a trip to South Korea.”
“On Wednesday evening, the chief of the general staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, met other senior commanders to discuss the situation in Qusra.”
From Middle English comaundour, commaunder, comaunder, borrowed from Old French comandeor, cumandeur, from comander. By surface analysis, command + -er. See command.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.