captain English · revision 2834

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1375, Chaucer|origins=la caput}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈkæp.tɪn/, US /ˈkæp.tən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|capitayn]], capitane,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|capitain]], capitaine,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) which replaced the earlier chevetaigne,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from [[la-lat|capitāneus|t=chief, prominent]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|caput|t=head]] (genitive capitis),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*kaput-|t=head]].^(Etymonline) It is a doublet of [[chieftain]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A leader or chief, one at the head of others: about 1375, in Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales'',^(Barnhart 1988) the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The OED has a military commander from 1375 and a leader in general from about 1380.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The naval officer (captain of the fleet) is from 1554,^(Barnhart 1988) the 1550s in Etymonline, extended to the master of any vessel by 1704^(Etymonline) (before 1649 in Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1988) The army officer commanding a company, ranking between major and lieutenant, is from 1567.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) A skilled military leader or strategist is from 1590.^(OED 1989) The leader of a sports team is from 1823 in Etymonline^(Etymonline) and 1857 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) a ''captain of industry'' from 1843,^(OED 1989) an officer in the Salvation Army from 1878,^(OED 1989) and the pilot of an aircraft from 1929.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb, “to lead as captain”, is from 1598.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) In other Germanic languages too the word is from French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1375 – a military leader; a chief.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1554 – a naval officer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1567 – an army officer commanding a company.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1598 – verb, to lead.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1704 – the master of any vessel.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1823 – the leader of a sports team.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1843 – ''captain of industry''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1929 – the pilot of an aircraft.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who commands or leads others; a [[chief]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The officer in command of a [[ship]] or [[aircraft]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An officer in the army or air force ranking above a [[lieutenant]] and below a [[major]]; in the navy, one ranking below a [[commodore]] or rear admiral.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The leader of a sports team.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A leading figure in a field: ''a captain of industry''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lead or command as captain.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[captaincy]]

+ * [[captainship]]

+ * [[subcaptain]]

+ * [[undercaptain]]

+ * [[bell captain]]

+ * [[captain of industry]]

+ * [[group captain]]

+ * [[sea captain]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cap]]

+ * [[capital]]

+ * [[capitalism]]

+ * [[capitulate]]

+ * [[capitulation]]

+ * [[chapiter]]

+ * [[chapter]]

+ * [[chief]]

+ * [[chieftain]]

+ * [[head]]

+ * [[cape]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}