captain
gb/kˈæptən/ us/kˈæptən/
A2
English
~ 2400
csapatkapitány, kapitány, százados, kapitányként vezet
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the captain of [team]
She was named captain of the national soccer team.
A labdarúgó-válogatott csapatkapitányává nevezték ki.
The captain gave a short speech before the match.
A csapatkapitány rövid beszédet mondott a mérkőzés előtt.
As captain, he always encouraged his teammates to stay positive.
The coach asked the captain to lead the warm-up.
The captain accepted the trophy on behalf of the team.
Learner examples
He is the captain of our school team.
Ő az iskolai csapatunk csapatkapitánya.
The captain talks to the referee.
A csapatkapitány a bíróval beszél.
Our captain wears a red band.
The captain tells players what to do.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'captain' with 'coach'; the coach trains the team, while the captain is a player who leads it.
Meaning
Leader of a sports team
Collocations
team captain
|club captain
|vice captain
|captain's armband
Synonyms
leader (A more general term for someone in charge, not limited to sports.)
Antonyms
player (A general member of the team without leadership duties.)
Themes
sports
|leadership
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The player who is in charge of a sports team during a game.
The player chosen to lead and represent a sports team on and off the field.
NOUN
A2
2
kapitány
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the captain of [ship/boat]
The captain ordered the crew to prepare for docking.
A kapitány utasította a legénységet, hogy készüljön fel a kikötésre.
As captain of the vessel, she was responsible for everyone's safety.
A hajó kapitányaként ő volt felelős mindenki biztonságáért.
The passengers met the captain on the bridge.
The captain navigated through rough seas.
He dreamed of becoming a sea captain.
Learner examples
The captain drives the big ship.
A kapitány vezeti a nagy hajót.
Our boat has a new captain.
A hajónknak új kapitánya van.
The captain tells the sailors what to do.
I saw the captain on the deck.
Common mistake:
Some learners may think 'captain' only applies to ships, but it is also used in other contexts like sports or airlines.
Meaning
Commander of a ship or boat
Collocations
ship's captain
|sea captain
|captain's cabin
|airline captain
Synonyms
skipper (Informal term often used for small boats or in casual speech.)
Antonyms
crew member (A person who works on a ship but does not command it.)
Themes
transportation
|maritime
|travel
|work
Definition
The person who controls and leads a ship or boat.
The person in charge of navigating and managing a ship or boat and its crew.
NOUN
B1
3
százados
B2
Captain Smith will lead the new mission.
Smith százados vezeti majd az új küldetést.
She was promoted to captain after five years of service.
Öt év szolgálat után századossá léptették elő.
The captain commanded two hundred soldiers.
As a captain, he attended many strategy meetings.
Learner examples
My brother is a captain in the army.
A bátyám százados a hadseregben.
The captain wears three bars on his shoulder.
A százados vállán három csík van.
She became a captain last year.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse military 'captain' with naval 'captain', which is a much higher rank in navies.
Meaning
Military officer rank above lieutenant
Collocations
army captain
|captain rank
|promoted to captain
Synonyms
officer (A broader term for someone in a position of authority in the military.)
Antonyms
private (An enlisted soldier of the lowest rank.)
Themes
military
|law
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An officer in the army, air force, or marines who is higher than a lieutenant but lower than a major.
A commissioned officer rank in the army, air force, or marines, above lieutenant and below major.
VERB
B1
4
Usage pattern:
to captain [team/ship/group]
She will captain the basketball team this season.
Ebben a szezonban ő vezeti majd csapatkapitányként a kosárlabdacsapatot.
He captained the yacht across the Atlantic.
Kapitányként vezette át a jachtot az Atlanti-óceánon.
They asked him to captain the expedition.
Learner examples
I will captain our football team.
Én vezetem majd csapatkapitányként a futballcsapatunkat.
She captains a big ship.
Kapitányként vezet egy nagy hajót.
He captained his school team last year.
Meaning
To act as leader or commander
Collocations
captain a side
|captain a vessel
Synonyms
lead (A general term for guiding or directing others; not specific to official titles.)
Antonyms
follow (To take direction from someone else rather than leading.)
Themes
leadership
|work
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To be the leader of a team, ship, or other group.
To act as the leader or commander of a group, team, ship, or other organized body.
Grammar
Dictionary form
captain
IPA
GB/kˈæptən/
US/kˈæptən/
Syllables & stress
cap - tain (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cap)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: captain
- Plural: captains
Verb
- Base: captain
- 3rd Person Singular: captains
- Present Participle: captaining
- Past: captained
Word family
Forms
captains
noun
captaining
verb
captained
verb
Related words
captaincy
noun
Expressions
a born captain
1/ə bˈɔɹn kˈæptən/
fixed phrase
Naturally talented leader
A person who is very good at leading without much training.
Examples
- From his first game, it was clear he was a born captain.
- She’s a born captain who inspires everyone around her.
captain of industry
1/kˈæptən əv ˈɪndəstɹi/
idiom
Wealthy business leader
A very rich and important person in business who controls large companies or industries.
Examples
- He became a captain of industry after founding several successful companies.
- Many captains of industry attended the economic forum.