colonel

ˈkɜː.nl̩

3 definitions

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#1·6h ago

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).

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Origin: , from , from , from compagnia colonnella, from , originally a collateral form of columen, contraction culmen, o-grade form from a . See hill, holm. 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. , also from Italian, shows similar evolution by dissimilation and perhaps by influence of corona. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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#2·6h ago

(historic) A military leader, distinct from the modern professional military rank.

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#3·6h ago

An honorary civilian title bestowed by some southern US states, most commonly Kentucky; notably Colonel Sanders of KFC.

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