Definitions for Colonel
ˈkɜr nlColonel

Princeton's WordNet(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. colonelnoun

   a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. colonelnoun

   A commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps. In U.S. military, it ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general.

2. Etymology: First attested 1548, from coronel, from colonnello, from compagna colonnella, from columna

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. COLONELnoun

   The chief commander of a regiment; a field officer of the highest rank, next to the general officers. It is now generally sounded with only two distinct syllables, col’nel.

   Etymology: Of uncertain etymology. Stephen Skinner imagines it originally colonialis, the leader of a colony. John Minsheu deduces it from colonna, a pillar; as patriæ columen; exercituscolumen. Each is plausible.

   The chiefest help must be the care of the colonel, that hath the government of all his garrison. Edmund Spenser, on Ireland.

   Captain or colonel, or knight in arms,
   Whose chance on these defenceless doors may seize,
   If deed of honour did thee ever please,
   Guard them, and him within protect from harms. John Milton.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Colonel

   Colonel (; abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. Historically, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of a regiment in an army. Modern usage varies greatly, and in some cases, the term is used as an honorific title that may have no direct relationship to military service. The rank of colonel is typically above the rank of lieutenant colonel. The rank above colonel is typically called brigadier, brigade general or brigadier general. In some smaller military forces, such as those of Monaco or the Vatican, colonel is the highest rank. Equivalent naval ranks may be called captain or ship-of-the-line captain. In the Commonwealth's air force ranking system, the equivalent rank is group captain.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Colonelnoun

   the chief officer of a regiment; an officer ranking next above a lieutenant colonel and next below a brigadier general

2. Etymology: [F. colonel, It. colonello, prop., the chief or commander of a column, fr. colonna column, L. columna. See Column.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Colonel

   Colonel, abbreviated Col, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally captain. In air forces with a separate rank structure, the equivalent rank is generally group captain. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures. A colonel was typically in charge of a regiment in an army, especially in Great Britain; but typically as of 2012 a colonel is the commander of a brigade or regiment in the U.S. Army or Marine Corps, and of a wing in the US Air Force. 'Colonel' is usually the highest or second-highest field rank, and is below the general ranks.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Colonel

   kur′nėl, n. an officer who has command of a regiment;—ns. Col′onelcy, his office or rank; Col′onelling, playing the colonel; Col′onelship, colonelcy: quality of a colonel. [Fr. and Sp. coronel; a corr. of It. colonello, the leader of a colonna, or column—L. columna.]

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. COLONEL

   A male resident of Kentucky. See KERNEL.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. colonel

   The commander of a regiment, either of horse or foot.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. colonel

   The title of the highest officer of a regiment, ranking next below a brigadier-general, and above a lieutenant-colonel. The rank of captain in the navy corresponds with this title.

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Colonel

   A Far-West title of courtesy bestowed upon anyone who owns a stud horse.

Matched Categories

1. • Commissioned Military Officer
   • Military

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Colonel' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4565

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Colonel' in Nouns Frequency: #1839

How to pronounce Colonel?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Colonel in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Colonel in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Colonel in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of Colonel in a Sentence

1. Sebastian Gorka:

   It was tough. We know he's tough because of the border issue and everything else, but yeah, it was internally inconsistent, when he talked about the attitude to our allies, to whether they should freeload or not, also when he talked about Russia and China, I was really disturbed. The things he said about how we can work with Russia and China, Russia is not on our side. The head of Russia is a former KGB colonel who wanted to destroy America. China is the world's most powerful communist nation so the idea, if you think we can work with these guys in meaningful fashion, I think history would prove you wrong. So it's an improvement. I have to be honest, it's an improvement, but it's still problematic and I need a more substantial development of his ideas in the next few weeks and months.

2. John Schnatter:

   Colonel Sanders called blacks n—–s.

3. David Pressman:

   They conflict with the clear personnel record and the entirety of the impeachment record of which the President is well aware, while the most powerful man in the world continues his campaign of intimidation, while too many entrusted with political office continue to remain silent, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman continues his service to our country as a decorated, active duty member of our military.

4. Alexander Vindman:

   The privilege of serving my country is not only rooted in my military service, but also in my personal history. I sit here, as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, an immigrant, my family fled the Soviet Union when I was three-and-a-half years old. Upon arriving in New York City in 1979, my father worked multiple jobs to support us, all the while learning English at night. He stressed to us the importance of fully integrating into our adopted country.

5. Defense Secretary Mark Esper:

   Obviously it's... a highly charged environment so I'm going to not weigh in on that other than to say that Colonel Colonel Alexander Vindman is still an active duty member of the military and continuing to perform his job on a daily basis.

Popularity rank by frequency of use