# commander

> English word · Noun · IPA /kəˈmændɚ/ · frequency rank #2,935

## Definitions
1. One who exercises control and direction of a military or naval organization.
2. A naval officer whose rank is above that of a lieutenant commander and below that of captain.
3. One who exercises control and direction over a group of persons.
4. A designation or rank in certain non-military organizations such as NASA and various police forces.
5. The chief officer of a commandry.
6. A heavy beetle or wooden mallet, used in paving, in sail lofts, etc.
7. A rank within an honorary order: e.g. Commander of the Legion of Honour.
8. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Moduza.
9. A soldier who has attained the rank of sergeant or higher

## Etymology
From Middle English comaundour, commaunder, comaunder, borrowed from Old French comandeor, cumandeur, from comander. By surface analysis, command + -er. See command.

## Easily confused with
- **commands** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-commands)
- **commando** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-commando)
- **commoner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-commoner)
- **commenter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-commenter)
- **coriander** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-coriander)
- **commanders** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commander-vs-commanders)
- **command** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/command-vs-commander)
- **commanded** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/commanded-vs-commander)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ccommander`, `cmomander`, `comamnder`, `comander`, `commadner`, `commandder`, `commanderr`, `commandre`, `commanedr`, `commannder`, `commnader`, `ocmmander`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/commander