1.abbr.Capt. One who commands, leads, or guides others, especially: a. The officer in command of a ship, an aircraft, or a spacecraft. b. A precinct commander in a police or fire department, usually ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief. c. The designated leader of a team or crew in sports. 2a.abbr.CPT or Capt or CAPT or Capt. A commissioned rank in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above first lieutenant and below major. b.abbr.CAPT or Capt. A commissioned rank in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard that is above commander and below commodore. c. One who holds the rank of captain. 3. A figure in the forefront; a leader: a captain of industry.4. One who supervises or directs the work of others, especially: a. A district official for a political party. b. A restaurant employee who is in charge of the waiters and usually attends to table seating. c. A bell captain.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: cap·tained, cap·tain·ing, cap·tains To act as captain of; command or direct: captained the football team.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English capitain, from Old French, from Late Latin capitneus, chief, from Latin caput, capit-, head. See kaput- in Appendix I.
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neus, chief, from Latin caput, capit-, head. See kaput- in Appendix I.
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