Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: MILITARY

Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: capitain, from Late Latin capitaneus 'chief', from Latin caput 'head'

captain

1 noun
     
cap‧tain1 W3 [countable]
1TTWTTA the sailor in charge of a ship, or the pilot in charge of an aircraft:
The Captain and crew welcome you aboard.
2PM a military officer with a fairly high rank ➔ group captain
3DS someone who leads a team or other group of people
captain of
Julie's captain of the quiz team.
The Blackhawk's team captain was the first to score.
4

captain of industry

someone who owns or has an important job in a big company
WORD FOCUS: plane WORD FOCUS: plane
similar words: airplane also aeroplane British English, aircraft
planes that carry people: passenger plane, airliner, jumbo
a military plane: warplane, bomber, fighter
people on a plane: pilot, co-pilot, captain, flight crew, cabin crew, passenger, flight attendant, steward, air hostess
the place where a plane lands or takes off: runway, the tarmac, airport, aerodrome BrE old-fashionedplane

➔ See also planeWORD FOCUS: ship WORD FOCUS: ship
a ship that carries people: passenger ship, cruise ship, liner, ferry, ro-ro
a ship that carries goods: cargo ship, merchant ship, freighter, oil tanker, super tanker, barge
a small ship: boat, motorboat, powerboat
a ship with sails: yacht, dinghy, sailing ship, sailing boat British English/sailboat American English, catamaran
a fighting ship: warship, aircraft carrier, battleship, cruiser, frigate, destroyer, minesweeper, gunboat, man-of-war old-fashioned
a ship that people live on: houseboat, narrow boat British English
a ship that goes under water: submarine
people on a ship: sailor, captain, passenger, seaman, the crew
parts of a ship: deck, cabin, porthole, engine room, mast, rudder, hullship

➔ See also ship
Definition of captain from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic MILITARY
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