commodore

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch kommandeur, from Middle French commandeur. See command, compare commend (a doublet), and mandate.

noun

1. (military, nautical) A naval officer holding a rank between captain and rear admiral.
2. (nautical) A (temporary) commander over a collection of ships who is not an admiral.
3. (nautical) The leading ship in a fleet of merchantmen.
4. (nautical) The president of a yacht club.
5. (nautical) A yacht-club president's vessel in a regatta.
6. (military, nautical) Ellipsis of commodore admiral.
7. (US, military, nautical) A rear admiral (lower half).
8. (entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Parasarpa.