captain

A captain is a high-ranking officer in military and maritime services. In armies and air forces, a captain typically commands a company or flight, the largest unit an officer is expected to know personally. In navies, a captain commands a large warship, such as a cruiser or aircraft carrier. The rank of captain is ancient, with its roots in the Latin word "caput," meaning "head," signifying leadership.12

In the U.S. military, a naval captain holds a rank equivalent to an army colonel. While the master of any vessel is addressed as captain, this title is also often given as a courtesy to marine pilots. In the U.S. Navy, a commodore ranks above a captain but below a rear admiral, a designation usually reserved for wartime.21