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Glite Dictionary
colonel

colonel

208 7.7
A senior military officer who commands a large unit
  • noun
  • /ˈkɜrnəl/
translation icon : coronel
  • Despite the chill, beads of sweat broke out on the colonel's forehead and ran down into his eyes.
  • lieutenant colonel
  • officers and colonels
  • army colonel

So Vladimir Putin is a K GB Colonel that wants to.

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Examples

  • Under pressure from his men to act, Militia Colonel James Barrett orders an advance to the bridge.

  • I know a colonel in the Pentagon.

    Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

  • And may I ask Colonel what your answer was?

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • A colonel in the Third Department.

    Anna Karenina (2012)

  • I played a psychiatrist who was married to a Colonel in the Army.

    First We Feast

  • Without looking back, the colonel mounted the steps, his men falling in behind.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • No sooner had the thought run through Caudell's mind than the colonel said, "Skirmishers forward!"

    Fiction book (1992)

  • "True enough," agreed the colonel, "but the outspoken secessionists are not the real problem."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • To his surprise, Dave recognized him: Paresh Naqui, a colonel he'd met on a previous mission.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Colonel Jackson led the troops into battle, showcasing his leadership skills.

Compounds

lieutenant colonel
  • Specialized
13 7.0

A senior officer in the army or air force above a major and below a colonel who leads soldiers

Colonel Blimp
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who thinks they are better than others and dislikes change

light colonel
  • Jargon
8.1

A military officer ranked above major and below colonel, often called lieutenant colonel

half-colonel
  • Informal
9.9

A person given some of a colonel's power as a joke but not full rank

How Senior

brigadier general
  • Specialized
4 7.0
colonel
208 7.7
lieutenant colonel
  • Specialized
13 7.0
major
  • Specialized
922 4.9
captain
247 2.9
lieutenant
  • Specialized
614 5.8

Surface Forms

colonel singular
colonels plural

Etymology

Colonel comes from the Italian colonnello, from column meaning 'column' or 'line' of soldiers. So a colonel was originally the leader of a column of troops, which is why it is a military rank. A helpful way to remember the odd pronunciation 'kernel' is that the word also passed through a form written coronel.