# commodore

/ˈkɑməˌdɔɹ/ (US) · /kˈɒmədˌɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/commodore
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 2. yacht club leader

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

the president or leader of a yacht club.

For teachers: the presiding officer or president of a yacht club or boating organisation.

- The commodore of the yacht club gave a speech before the race started.
- As commodore, she was responsible for overseeing the annual regatta and managing the club's diplomatic relations with other coastal organisations.

### 3. merchant fleet leader

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

the captain in charge of a group of merchant ships sailing together.

For teachers: the senior captain or lead vessel in a fleet of merchant ships.

- The commodore led the group of cargo ships safely across the ocean.
- During the age of sail, the commodore of a merchant convoy held significant authority over the navigation and defense of the entire fleet.

## Examples

- The commodore led the fleet into the harbor.
- After years of service at sea, he was promoted to commodore and given command of a small task force.
- The local yacht club elected a new commodore to oversee the annual regatta and manage the expansion of the marina facilities.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.