Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, etc. In militaries, the captain is typically at the level of an officer commanding a company or battalion of infantry, a ship, or a battery of artillery, or another distinct unit. It can also be a rank of command in an air force. The term also may be used as an informal or honorary title for persons in similar commanding roles.

Etymology

edit

The word "captain" derives from the Middle English "capitane", itself coming from the Latin "caput", meaning "head".[1] It is considered cognate with the Greek word katepánō (Ancient Greek: κατεπάνω, lit.'[the one] placed at the top', or "the topmost"), which was used as title for a senior Byzantine military rank and office.[2][page needed] The word was Latinized as Ancient Greek: capetanus or catepan. Both ultimately derive from the Proto-Indo-European "*kaput", also meaning head.[3]

Occupations or roles

edit

Military ranks

edit

Canada

edit

Germany

edit
  • Kapitän bzw. „Kapitän zur See“ (Deutsche Marine), Nato OF-5 grade
  • Hauptmann, the german equivalent of Captain in Army (Armee/Heer) and Air Force (Luftwaffe)

India

edit

Israel

edit

South Africa

edit

United Kingdom

edit

United States

edit

Generic

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Definition of CAPTAIN". www.merriam-webster.com. 13 April 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  2. ^ Haldon, John (1999). Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World, 565–1204. London: UCL Press. ISBN 1-85728-495-X.
  3. ^ "Etymology of "captain" by etymonline". etymonline. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  4. ^ Mzezewa, Tariro (25 February 2019). "Please Call Her Captain". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 January 2020.