commandant

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US/ˈkɒməndænt/US/kɒmənˈdænt/US/-dɑnt/UK/ˈkɒməndənt/

noun

A commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division.

Similar
commanding officercommander
OriginFrench commandant ← Middle French commander ← Old French comander →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

commandant1

nouncommandant (plural commandants)

plural commandants

  1. governmentA commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division.
  2. governmentA military rank equivalent to major used in some countries, especially when derived from French usage.
  3. South Africahistoricalgovernmentlieutenant-colonel

Commandant2

nounCommandant (plural Commandants)

plural Commandants

  1. South AfricahistoricalgovernmentTitle for the officer in charge of a commando or district.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan officer in command of a military unit

Similar
commanding officercommander
Broader
military officerofficer
Also see
commandercommanding officer

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincon-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*(s)meh₂-
  7. Proto-Italic*manus
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*dʰéh₁t
  10. Proto-Italic*manuðō
  11. Latinmandō
  12. Latincommendō
  13. Latinmandōinflu.
  14. Latincommandāre
  15. Old Frenchcomander
  16. Middle Frenchcommander
  17. Frenchcommander
  18. Frenchcommandant
  19. Englishcommandant

From French commandant.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian командир
  • командир (komandir)a commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Chinese Mandarin 指揮官 /指挥官
  • 指揮官 /指挥官 (zhǐhuīguān)a commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Finnish komendantti
  • komendanttia commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
French commandant
  • commandanta commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Hungarian parancsnok
  • parancsnoka commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Italian comandante
  • comandantea commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Portuguese comandante
  • comandantea commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Romanian comandant
  • comandanta commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Russian команди́р, коменда́нт
  • команди́р (komandír)a commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
  • коменда́нт (komendánt)a commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Spanish comandante
  • comandantea commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division
Cite this entry
APA

commandant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commandant

MLA

“commandant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commandant. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “commandant,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commandant.

Source: commandant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.