Kapitan

captain; chief; leadernoun

Alternative meanings

A person who leads, commands, or has authority over a group, team, ship, military unit, or local community. It can refer to a ship captain, army captain, team captain, or barangay captain.

Pronunciation

kah-PEE-tahn

Root and affixes

A loanword from Spanish capitán. In Cebuano/Bisaya, kapitan is used for a chief or leader with authority. Kap is a common short form in some contexts.

Variants or conjugations

captain; ship captain; village captain; team captain; chief; leader

Related words and expressions

ship; soldier; team; village; barangay; leader; officer; command

Meaning and usage notes

Kapitan is direct for captain. In the Philippines it can also refer to a barangay captain or local leader. For ship officer, opiser or kapitan sa barko may also appear.