Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “commander” come from?

Commander comes from Middle English commaunder, from Old French comandeor, combining Old French -eor with con- and manus, Latin words meaning "with" and "hand" respectively.

commander (English): One who exercises control and direction of a...

Definitions

  1. One who exercises control and direction of a...

Ancestry of “commander”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcomaundourcommander, leader, director; decision-maker;...
2Old Frenchcomandeorcommander
3Old Frenchcomanderto command, to implore; to request, to ask for;...
4Latincommandō—
5Latincommendō—
6Latincōn-—
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “commander”

  • subcommander
  • commandership
  • commandress
  • commanderless
  • commanderess
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →