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cap·tain

(kăptən)

1. One who commands, leads, or guides others, especially:

a. The officer in command of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

b. A precinct commander in a police or fire department, usually ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief.

c. The designated leader of a team or crew in sports.

a. A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above first lieutenant and below major.

b. One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

c. A commissioned rank in the US Navy or Coast Guard that is above commander and below rear admiral.

d. One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

3. A figure in the forefront; a leader: a captain of industry.

4. One who supervises or directs the work of others, especially:

a. A district official for a political party.

b. A restaurant employee who is in charge of the waiters and usually attends to table seating.

c. A bell captain.

tr.v. cap·tained, cap·tain·ing, cap·tains

To act as captain of; command or direct: captained the football team.

[Middle English capitain, from Old French, from Late Latin capitāneus, chief, from Latin caput, capit-, head; see kaput- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

captain·cy, captain·ship′ n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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