commando

noun

com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce commando (audio)
plural commandos or commandoes
1
South Africa
a
: a military unit or command of the Boers
b
: a raiding expedition
2
a
: a military unit trained and organized as shock troops especially for hit-and-run raids into enemy territory
b
: a member of such a unit
Phrases
go commando
slang : to wear no underwear

Examples of commando in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Because of her light-colored dress, Danni goes commando, which is an apt representation of their differing personalities. Emma Soren, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024 Israeli naval commandos abducted a senior Hezbollah operative in an operation in the northern Lebanese town of Batroun, officials said Saturday. Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024 Paramilitary commandos, bomb detectors, dog squads and face-recognition technology were all sourced, said police officer Rajkaran Nayyar. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 Following the events of Let There Be Carnage, Brock and Venom find themselves on the run from military commando Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) while a scientist (Juno Temple) aids their flight. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for commando 

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans kommando, from Dutch commando command, from Spanish comando, from comandar to command, from Late Latin commandare

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of commando was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near commando

Cite this Entry

“Commando.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commando. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

commando

noun
com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-dō How to pronounce commando (audio)
plural commandos or commandoes
1
: a military unit trained and organized for surprise raids
2
: a member of a commando
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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