WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
com•mand•er /kəˈmændɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a person in authority;
chief officer;
leader. - Militarythe officer in command of a military unit.
- Militaryan officer in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard ranking below a captain and above a lieutenant commander.
com•mand•er
(kə man′dər, -män′-),USA pronunciation n.
com•mand′er•ship′, n.
- a person who commands.
- a person who exercises authority;
chief officer;
leader. - Militarythe commissioned officer in command of a military unit.
- Military[U.S. Navy.]an officer ranking below a captain and above a lieutenant commander.
- a police officer in charge of a precinct or other unit.
- World Historythe chief officer of a commandery in the medieval orders of Knights Hospitalers, Knights Templars, and others.
- World Historya member of one of the higher classes or ranks in certain modern fraternal orders, as in the Knights Templars.
- Latin -ātōr- -ator
- Old French comandere, equivalent. to comand(er) to command + -ere
- Middle English 1250–1300