capitain
Middle English
Alternative forms
- capeteigne, capitaigne, capitan, capitayn, capitein, capiteine, capiteyn, captayn, captein, capteyn, capytayn
Etymology
Borrowed from Old French capitaine, itself borrowed from Late Latin capitāneus. Doublet of cheveteyn.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kap(i)ˈtɛi̯n(ə)/, /ˌkaːp(i)ˈtɛi̯n(ə)/, /ˈkap(ə)tin(ə)/
Noun
capitain (plural capitaines)
- The head of a military force; a general or marshal.
- An officer; one who commands part of an army.
- c. 1375, “Book VI”, in Iohne Barbour, De geſtis bellis et uirtutibus domini Roberti de Brwyß […] (The Brus, Advocates MS. 19.2.2), Ouchtirmunſye: Iohannes Ramſay, published 1489, folio 21, recto, lines 431-434; republished at Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, c. 2010:
- Thyꝛwall þ[at] was þ[air] capitain / Wes þ[air] in þe baꝛgain slain / ⁊ off his men þe maſt p[ar]ty / Ϸe laue fled full affrayitly
- Thirlwall, who was their commander / was killed there in the struggle / with the greatest part of his men; / the rest fled very frightened.
-
- (rare) The leader of a nation or a political division; a high-ranking administrator.
- (rare) One who leads military forces at sea.
Related terms
- capitainerie
- capitainship
Descendants
- English: captain (see there for further descendants)
- Scots: caiptain
References
- “capitain, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-14.