colonel

noun

col·​o·​nel ˈkər-nᵊl How to pronounce colonel (audio)
1
a
: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
2
: a minor titular official of a state especially in southern or midland U.S.
used as an honorific title
colonelcy noun

Did you know?

English colonel is pronounced the same as kernel. This seems odd, but there is an explanation. In many languages when a word contains two identical or similar sounds, one of these sounds will often change over a period of time. This kind of change is called dissimilation. So when the Italian word colonello was taken into French, it became coronel; and the word was borrowed by the English from the French in this form. Later the spelling colonel came to be used in order to reflect the Italian origin of the word. But by then the pronunciation with r was well established.

Examples of colonel in a Sentence

He retired as a colonel in the air force.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An Austin landmark ever since it was built in 1886, the storied Driskill Hotel has seen living history up close and personal for close to 140 years, ever since Jesse Driskill, an honorary Civil War colonel, built it and promptly lost it in a high-stakes poker game. Rona Berg, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 The parade will conclude with a royal salute and march past where Kate will take the salute as colonel. Stephanie Petit, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025 Pat Boone sang, and the colonel was buried in his white suit. Victor Mather, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025 In my mind, that person was perhaps 12 years old, because regardless of the assuredly advanced age of any nephew of a World War II colonel, 12 is the age my imagination conjures for nephews. Kevin Chroust, Outside Online, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for colonel

Word History

Etymology

alteration of coronel, from Middle French, modification of Old Italian colonnello column of soldiers, colonel, diminutive of colonna column, from Latin columna — see column

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of colonel was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Colonel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

colonel

noun
col·​o·​nel ˈkərn-ᵊl How to pronounce colonel (audio)
: a military commissioned officer ranking just below a brigadier general
colonelcy noun
Etymology

an altered form of earlier coronel "colonel," from early French coronel (same meaning), from early Italian colonnello "colonel, column of soldiers," derived from Latin columna "column" — related to column

More from Merriam-Webster on colonel

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