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Captain
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<h2 id="etymology">Etymology</h2> <p>The term "captain" derives from <i><a href="/facts/Katep%C3%A1n%C5%8D/2hnDqnwc">katepánō</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek_language/LIK7NlUh">Ancient Greek</a>: κατεπάνω, lit. '[the one] placed at the top', or 'the topmost'), which was used as title for a senior Byzantine military rank and office.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> The word was Latinized as <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek_language/LIK7NlUh">Ancient Greek</a>: <i>capetanus or catepan</i>, and its meaning seems to have merged with that of the late Latin <i>capitaneus</i> (which derives from the classical Latin word <i>caput</i>, meaning head).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> This hybridized term gave rise to the English language term captain and its equivalents in other languages (<i>Capitan</i>, <i>Capitaine</i>, <i>Capitano</i>, <i>Capitão</i>, <i>Kapitan</i>, <i>Kapitän</i>, <i>Kapitein</i>, <i>Kapteeni</i>, <i>Kapten</i>, <i>kapitány</i>, <i>Kapudan Pasha</i>, <i>Kobtan</i>, etc.). </p> <h2 id="occupations-or-roles">Occupations or roles</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(armed_forces)/cqlntj0j">Captain (armed forces)</a>, a commissioned officer rank corresponding to the field commander of a company of soldiers usually, or that of a battery of an artillery battalion (company second-in-command or specialist platoon commander in UK). It is also a rank of command in the air force.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(naval)/EeuMbyo5">Captain (naval)</a>, a commissioned officer rank in the navy, corresponding to the rank of Army colonel, Air force colonel.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(nautical)/e7avxJYM">Captain (nautical)</a>, a licensed person or civilian marine officer who is legally in command of a merchant ship, a yacht or another type of vessel that may or may not be carrying passengers for hire; corresponds to the work condition of <a href="/facts/Shipmaster/e7avxJYM">shipmaster</a> or, as usually said, <a href="/facts/Sea_captain/e7avxJYM">master</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(airlines)/v8rlbxqA">Captain (airlines)</a>, a licensed civilian airman or person who is legally in command of a civilian aircraft; corresponding to the work condition of <a href="/facts/Pilot_in_command/v8rlbxqA">pilot in command</a> colloquially said <a href="/facts/Pilot_in_command/v8rlbxqA">PIC</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fire_captain/EEpHuFfl">Fire captain</a>, officer in a fire department.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Police_captain/EmPnllKf">Police captain</a>, officer in a police organization.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Group_Captain/xm3KCskl">Group Captain</a>, a senior commissioned rank in many air forces.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_of_industry/WSSYVNNR">Captain of industry</a>, business leader.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_of_the_Port/t3jVJsfg">Captain of the Port</a>, harbour (UK) or Coast Guard (USA) post.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Precinct_captain/rlX2AMHt">Precinct captain</a>, political party's representative at an election precinct.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Barangay_captain/7Vl611hY">Barangay captain</a>, Head of Barangay (Village) in the Philippines</li> <li><a href="/facts/School_captain/NfNBjgqX">School captain</a>, student elected or appointed to represent the school.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_Regent/C0jAWdJ5">Captain Regent</a>, head of state of <a href="/facts/San_Marino/dlbbyRcT">San Marino</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain-major/1LQtHe1r">Captain-major</a>, colonial officer of a Portuguese possession.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain-commandant/9H8HjQ66">Captain-commandant</a>, a Belgian military rank.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Katepano/2hnDqnwc">Katepano</a>, a senior Byzantine officer (and word from which "captain" derived).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kapudan_Pasha/2VgBKgIm">Kapudan Pasha</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Kapitan_Cina/8y5K3gDn">Kapitan Cina</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captal/qMRu5rDM">Captal</a>, a regional title in <a href="/facts/Languedoc/KrmsG9TI">Southern France</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="military-ranks">Military ranks</h2> <h3>Canada</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(Canadian_naval_rank)/EeuMbyo5">Captain (Canadian naval rank)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(Canadian_army_and_air_force)/nlGIWTf1">Captain (Canadian army and air force)</a></li></ul> <h3>Germany</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Kapit%C3%A4n/np8FqgFE">Kapitän</a> bzw. „Kapitän zur See“ (Deutsche Marine), Nato OF-5 grade</li> <li><a href="/facts/Hauptmann/r0HMDzaR">Hauptmann</a>, the german equivalent of Captain in Army (Armee/Heer) and Air Force (Luftwaffe)</li></ul> <h3>India</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(Indian_Navy)/EeuMbyo5">Captain (Indian Navy)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Group_captain_(India)/oupSEvh3">Group captain (India)</a></li> <li>Captain (Indian Army)</li></ul> <h3>Israel</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Israel_Defense_Forces_ranks/U15VsNHK">Seren</a>, an <a href="/facts/Israel_Defense_Forces/9hPaqcAM">Israel Defense Forces</a> officer rank whether Army, Air Force, or Navy</li></ul> <h3>South Africa</h3> <ul><li>Captain is a <a href="/facts/South_African_National_Defence_Force/owFJpChE">South African National Defence Force</a> officer rank of the <a href="/facts/South_African_Army/PnL2gxkV">South African Army</a>, <a href="/facts/South_African_Air_Force/kczqUotd">South African Air Force</a>, <a href="/facts/South_African_Navy/7ClAKgeD">South African Navy</a>, <a href="/facts/South_African_Military_Health_Service/RYxcAV7y">South African Military Health Service</a></li></ul> <h3>United Kingdom</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(Royal_Navy)/aK4yDJEY">Captain (Royal Navy)</a>, NATO OF-5 grade</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(British_Army_and_Royal_Marines)/mQwAWyN0">Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)</a>, NATO OF-2 grade</li> <li><a href="/facts/Group_Captain/xm3KCskl">Group Captain</a> (Royal Air Force), NATO OF-5 grade</li></ul> <h3>United States</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(United_States)/8bIpQNpc">Captain (United States)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(United_States_O-3)/G302cKKN">Captain (United States O-3)</a> (US Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, or Space Force)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_(United_States_O-6)/D43xa4oj">Captain (United States O-6)</a> (US Navy, US Public Health Service, or Coast Guard)</li></ul> <h3>Generic</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(naval)/EeuMbyo5">Captain (naval)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_at_sea/EeuMbyo5">Captain at sea</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Captain_of_sea_and_war/EeuMbyo5">Captain of sea and war</a></li> <li>Other captain grades <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ship-of-the-line_captain/EeuMbyo5">Ship-of-the-line captain</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Senior_Captain/L7FERKMb">Senior Captain</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Staff_captain/0gp3MYge">Staff captain</a></li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Captain_(sports)/lhcY82af">Captain (sports)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Chief_executive_officer/mg4A8y5M">Chief executive officer</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Capitaine_(disambiguation)/uG50S4o9">Capitaine (disambiguation)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Capitan_(disambiguation)/BcTwozzJ">Capitan (disambiguation)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/El_Capitan_(disambiguation)/cRc5wW7u">El Capitan (disambiguation)</a>, Spanish for "The Captain"</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kapitan_(disambiguation)/BcTwozzJ">Kapitan (disambiguation)</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Haldon, John (1999). Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World, 565–1204. London: UCL Press. ISBN 1-85728-495-X. <a href="1-85728-495-X" target="_blank">1-85728-495-X</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Definition of CAPTAIN". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 6 January 2020. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captain" target="_blank">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captain</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Mzezewa, Tariro (25 February 2019). "Please Call Her Captain". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 January 2020. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/travel/captain-kate-mccue-women-celebrity-cruises.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/travel/captain-kate-mccue-women-celebrity-cruises.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>