noun

1. 1. a chief or leader captains of industry
   2. an important military leader
2. the head of a group or division; specif.,
   1. U.S. Mil. an officer ranking above a first lieutenant and below a major
   2. U.S. Navy an officer ranking above a commander and below a commodore
   3. the person in command of a ship
   4. the pilot of an airplane
   5. the spokesman for a team in certain sports
   6. ☆ a precinct commander in a police or fire department
   7. ☆ a district leader of a political party
   8. ☆ headwaiter
   9. ☆ bell captain

Etymology: ME capitain < OFr capitaine < LL capitaneus, chief < L caput, head

transitive verb