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subcommander

subcommander

5 7.0
A person just below the leader in a military or similar group
  • noun
  • /ˌsʌb.kəmˈmændər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : subcomandante
  • As subcommander, she was responsible for overseeing the training of new recruits.
  • Subcommander Marcos
  • Alliance subcommander
  • Northern Alliance subcommander

Examples

  • In the absence of the commander, the subcommander took charge of the operation.

  • He heard the Northern Alliance subcommander shout behind him.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • He turned and saw the subcommander pointing and jumping around.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Now, you can tell me where you came from, or I can allow Subcommander Krolak to continue his interrogation.

  • The subcommander jumped around, tearing apart his piece of goat meat and trying to share it with the Green Berets.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • He spoke with the Green Beret team leader, who spoke with the Northern Alliance subcommander, and the go-ahead was given:

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The Green Beret team leader was shouting back at him, waving his hands to show that more aircraft were coming, but the subcommander wouldn't hear it.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The Northern Alliance subcommander had seen the convoy, too, and he was shouting and pointing at the vehicles, gnawing on a hunk of goat meat that he held in his bare hands.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • He tried to brief the pilot on the situation, but he felt someone tugging his shoulder, and when he turned around, the subcommander was in his face shouting, spitting on his lips and nose, pointing at the enemy and stomping his feet.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • In 1994, Subcommander Marcos, the leader of the Zapatista rebels, staged an uprising in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, demanding better treatment for the indigenous communities there and placing the issue on the national political agenda.

    Blog text (26)

Synonyms

executive officer
vssubcommander
50 4.9

A person who is second in command and runs daily work in a military unit or organization

is a specific military rank under the top officer rather than a general role
second-in-command
vssubcommander
28 3.7

A person who helps the leader and takes charge if they are away

is a formal military rank directly below the top officer
lieutenant commander
vssubcommander
  • Specialized
6 6.9

A Navy or Coast Guard officer who is above lieutenant and below commander

is a military rank below the top officer across services not just navy
underboss
vssubcommander
6 9.5

A person who is second in command in a criminal group

is a military focused rank below the top officer, not a criminal role
underchief
vssubcommander
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A person who is second in charge and helps the main leader

is specific to military or paramilitary rank rather than tribal usage
subchief
vssubcommander
6.2

A person with a rank just below the main leader in a group

is used mainly in military or paramilitary hierarchies rather than any group

Antonyms

commander
  • Specialized
537 4.2

An officer in the navy or air force who leads a unit

How High-ranking

senior
800 2.9
commander
  • Specialized
537 4.2
subcommander
  • Specialized
5 7.0
junior
99 2.4

Surface Forms

subcommander singular
subcommanders plural

Morphology

subcommander = commander (transparent) = sub + commander

Formed by productive prefix 'sub-' (meaning 'under/secondary') added to 'commander', yielding the clearly interpretable meaning 'a commander ranked below a commander'.

Etymology

Subcommander comes from the prefix sub- meaning 'under' and commander, from 'command' meaning 'to give orders', so think of someone 'under the commander', like the second-in-command; that's why a subcommander is the person just below the commander who can take charge when needed.