colonel Synonyms & Antonyms
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Colonel as a Noun
A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines).
A military leader, distinct from the modern professional military rank.
An honorary civilian title bestowed by some southern US states, most commonly Kentucky; notably Colonel Sanders of KFC.
An informal title used to address an elderly man.
A form of address for an auctioneer, from the American Civil War practice of commanding officers organizing the public sale of seized goods.
Colonel as a Verb
To act as or like a colonel.
Word Forms & Grammar
colonel (plural colonels)
colonel (third-person singular simple present colonels, present participle (US) coloneling or (UK) colonelling, simple past and past participle (US) coloneled or (UK) colonelled)
Words That Rhyme With Colonel
Origin of Colonel
Origin 1: First attested in the 1540s, from Middle French coronnel, from Old Italian colonnello (“the officer of a small company of soldiers (column) that marched at the head of a regiment”), from compagnia colonnella (“little column company”), from Latin columna (“pillar”), originally a collateral form of columen, contraction culmen (“a pillar, top, crown, summit”), o-grade form from a Proto-Indo-European *kelH- (“to rise, be elevated, be prominent”). See hill, holm.
Origin 2: The French spelling was reformed late 16th century. The English spelling was modified in 1580s in learned writing to conform to the Italian form (via translations of Italian military manuals), and differing pronunciations (either with "r" or "l") coexisted until around 1650, where it came to be pronounced with "r" only. Spanish and Portuguese coronel, also from Italian, shows similar evolution by dissimilation and perhaps by influence of corona.[1]
Word Facts for Colonel
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɜːnəl/ |
| Meaning | A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer… |
| Plural | colonels |
| Verb forms | colonels, and past participle |
Common Questions About Colonel
Is colonel a noun or a verb?
Colonel is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is the plural of colonel?
The plural of colonel is colonels.
What is the past tense of colonel?
The past tense of colonel is and past participle.