Are you looking for information about the abbreviation for commander? We’ll share the definition of the word and various examples where it has been used in a sentence. We’ll break down the abbreviation of the word and, finally, look at its origin and synonyms.
The word commander functions as a noun.
There are a few different ways to abbreviate the word commander.
These are:
COMDR (plural Comdrs.)
COMD (plural Comds.)
CDR
COM
CDR and COM most commonly appear as military codes. When writing in long-form, the abbreviations comdr. and comd. become more common.
For example:
Comdr. Williams requested backup.
By order of Comds. O’Sean and Waters, civilians could no longer cross the road after 5 p.m.
The abbreviation for commander is normally used to refer to commanders in the civilian police, military, emergency operations, and the fire department.
The abbreviation may be used on a nameplate or a business card, as well as in newsprint media due to space constraints. Since space is at a premium in journalism, an abbreviation of commander often replaces the entire word.
Outside of headlines and professional titles, commander is usually written in full.
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Additional Abbreviations for the U.S. Navy / Coast Guard
Pay Grade
Title
Abbreviation
E-1
Seaman Recruit
SR
E-2
Seaman Apprentice
SA
E-3
Seaman
SN
E-4
Petty Officer 3rd Class
PO3
E-5
Petty Officer 2nd Class
PO2
E-6
Petty Officer 1st Class
PO1
E-7
Chief Petty Officer
CPO
E-8
Senior Chief Petty Officer
SCPO
E-9
Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPO
E-9
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPOC
E-9
Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer
FLTCM
E-9
Force Master Chief Petty Officer
FORCM
E-9 Special
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
MPCOCG
E-9 Special
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
MCPON
W-1
Warrant Officer
WO1
W-2
Chief Warrant Officer 2
CWO2
W-3
Chief Warrant Officer 3
CWO3
W-4
Chief Warrant Officer 4
CWO4
W-5
Chief Warrant Officer 5
CWO5
O-1
Ensign
ENS
O-2
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
LTJG
O-3
Lieutenant
LT
O-4
Lieutenant Commander
LCDR
O-5
Commander
CDR
O-6
Captain
CAPT
O-7
Rear Admiral (lower half)
RDML
O-8
Rear Admiral (upper half)
RADM
O-9
Vice Admiral
VADM
O-10
Admiral Chief of Naval Operations /Commandant of the Coast Guard
ADM
O-10 Special
Fleet Admiral
FADM
Additional Abbreviations for the U.S. Marine Corps
Pay Grade
Title
Abbreviation
E-1
Private
Pvt
E-2
Private First Class
PFC
E-3
Lance Corporal
LCpl
E-4
Corporal
Cpl
E-5
Sergeant
Sgt
E-6
Staff Sergeant
SSgt
E-7
Gunnery Sergeant
GySgt
E-8
Master Sergeant
MSgt
E-8
First Sergeant
1stSgt
E-9
Master Gunnery Sergeant
MGySgt
E-9
Sergeant Major
SgtMaj
E-9 Special
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
SgtMajMarCor
W-1
Warrant Officer 1
WO1
W-2
Chief Warrant Officer 2
CW2
W-3
Chief Warrant Officer 3
CW3
W-4
Chief Warrant Officer 4
CW4
W-5
Chief Warrant Officer 5
CW5
O-1
Second Lieutenant
2ndLt
O-2
First Lieutenant
1stLt
O-3
Captain
Capt
O-4
Major
Maj
O-5
Lieutenant Colonel
LtCol
O-6
Colonel
Col
O-7
Brigadier General
BGen
O-8
Major General
MajGen
O-9
Lieutenant General
LtGen
O-10
General
Gen
The Definition of the Word
Although the word commander is largely used in military circles, it can be used by non-military organizations to refer to the person in charge. In military terms, the word commander signifies authority.
Commander is also used as a common term for any officer controlling any unit in various international armed forces. For example, you may refer to a squadron commander, brigade commander, and platoon commander. All of these would describe personnel controlling a unit. In the department of police, titles like incident commander and borough commander are frequently used.
In the US Army and Air Force, a commander describes a military appointment to control units. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the United States.
In the United Kingdom, the word commander is mostly used in the Royal Navy. It’s the rank above the lieutenant commander and equivalent to lieutenant colonel.
For example:
The commander-in-chief and chief of staff attended a meeting at the department of defense (DOD) offices.
Combatant Comds. report to the secretary of defence.
In the British army, a commander is a non-commissioned officer who is in charge of a unit.
In New Zealand, the term commander refers to the major general, a very senior officer.
Commander can be used in both military and non-military ranks. For instance, in various small colonial settlements such as the Caribbean islands, the military title commandeur could be used instead of a civilian gubernatorial title.
In NASA, once a crew member has been designated as a commander, he or she is in charge of the spaceship. They also make critical decisions in coordination with space mission centers.
Civil aviation authorities refer to the captain as a commander, which is technically an airline rank.
The Origin of the Word
The title, initially “master and commander,” was coined in the 18th century to describe maritime officers who commanded big warships. These commanders acted as lieutenants, but had a rank more junior than captains. Before 1700, the commanding officers usually served as their own masters. The Royal Navy shortened the term “master and commander” to commander in 1794.
Also, a commander can be explained or defined as the rank given to a person to have authority over any military operation or troop. In generic use, the word commander can refer to any officer commanding any armed forces unit, such as a brigade commander or squad commander.
For example:
Officer Nick was behaving badly last night. This morning, he had to talk to his commander.
The weather station commander emailed the report to the media.
Synonyms for Commander
Captain
Chief
Administrator
Officer
Ruler
Czar
Don
Examples of the Word and Abbreviation in Context
“The concept of a political ruler serving as the ultimate commander of the armed forces dates to the Emperors of the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and Roman Empire, who held imperium—command and regal—powers.” —ThoughtCo.com
“U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend became the fifth commander of the United States Africa Command on July 26, 2019.” —United States Africa Command
“‘They had a family. Their family still remembers them,’ says Comd. John Henry McArdle with Thresher Base United States Submarine Veterans.” —WMUR Channel 9
“Comdr. Thomas Verdi said Oscar Hudson, 50, shot and killed his estranged wife, Berta Hudson, 48, before shooting himself.” —The Providence Journal
“MANAMA, Bahrain—America’s growing volume of military assets in the Persian Gulf is about deterrence, not war, senior Navy commanders told CNBC aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.” —CNBC
“Lieutenant Commander Adam Stafford, RAN joined the Royal Australian Navy in January 2005 from Mackay, Queensland as a Direct Entry Maritime Warfare …” —Navy.gov.au
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
