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): /ˌkap(i)ˈtæi̯n(ə)/, /ˈkap(ə)tɛn(ə)/
• IPA^(key): /ˌkaːp(i)ˈtæi̯n/, /ˈkaːp(i)tɛn/ (Northern)

Noun

capitain (plural capitaines)

1. The head of a military force; a general or marshal.
2. 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.

3. (rare) The leader of a nation or a political division; a high-ranking administrator.
4. (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 14 September 2018.