commando

noun

com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-(ˌ)dō 

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

Thus: Arnold and his commando buddies fight an alien — a big, ugly, awesome one created by the Stan Winston studio with mandibles and long hair and the ability to disappear. —Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 June 2025

The original movie, which premiered in 1987, sees Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his team of commandos get hunted through the jungles of Central America by an elusive alien killer. —Keith Langston, People.com, 6 June 2025

Today in History: May 1, Obama announces killing of Osama bin Laden President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden during a U.S. commando operation, which took place in Abbottabad, Pakistan in the early morning hours of May 2 local time. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2025

For all its 2000s era video game trappings, the debut of the clone commandos was gritty and sobering. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for commando

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

commando

noun

com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-dō 

plural commandos or commandoes

1

: a military unit trained and organized for surprise raids

2

: a member of a commando