command

B1 Topic:People & Society

US /kəˈmænd/ UK /kəˈmɑːnd/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like commend /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #1633

Meanings

1

noun
An order telling someone to do something.

The soldiers waited for the command to move forward.
2

verb
To officially order someone to do something.

The officer commanded the soldiers to stop firing.
3

noun
The power or authority to control a group, especially in the army.

The general was given command of a huge army.
4

noun
A very good knowledge of a subject or skill.

She has an excellent command of French.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an order telling someone to... behest injunction

2 verb · to officially order someone... require

3 noun · the power or authority to... control

More bidding commandment decree demand dictatediktatdirection directive edict fiathest

Word family

Forms commandedcommandingcommands

Derived forms c-commandcommandabilitycommandablecommandeer commander commanderycommandingcommandismcommandlesscommandletcommandmentcommandwide

Related forms commend compulsory disobey law mandate manipulation manual manufacture manuscript obey recommend

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂-der. Proto-Italic *manus Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tder. Proto-Italic *-ðō Proto-Italic *manuðō Latin mandō Latin commendō ▲ Latin mandōinflu. Latin commandāre Old French comanderbor. Middle English comaunden English command From Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Ultimately from Latin com- + mandō (whence ultimately also commen…

*(s)meh₂- Proto-Indo-European commanden Middle English comander Old French commando la-lat commendo Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# command

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /kəˈmænd/
**IPA (UK):** /kəˈmɑːnd/
**Frequency rank:** 1633

## Meanings
1. An order telling someone to do something.
2. To officially order someone to do something.
3. The power or authority to control a group, especially in the army.
4. A very good knowledge of a subject or skill.

## Examples
- The soldiers waited for the command to move forward.
- The officer commanded the soldiers to stop firing.
- The general was given command of a huge army.
- She has an excellent command of French.

## Synonyms
- behest
- bidding
- commandment
- decree
- demand
- dictate
- diktat
- direction
- directive
- edict
- fiat
- hest

## Derived Forms
- c-command
- commandability
- commandable
- commandeer
- commander
- commandery
- commanding
- commandism
- commandless
- commandlet
- commandment
- commandwide

## Related Forms
- commend
- compulsory
- disobey
- law
- mandate
- manipulation
- manual
- manufacture
- manuscript
- obey
- recommend

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)meh₂-
- Root: commanden
- Root: comander
- Root: commando
- Root: commendo

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂-der. Proto-Italic *manus Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tder. Proto-Italic *-ðō Proto-Italic *manuðō Latin mandō Latin commendō ▲ Latin mandōinflu. Latin commandāre Old French comanderbor. Middle English comaunden English command From Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Ultimately from Latin com- + mandō (whence ultimately also commen…

## AI Etymology
command is a noun and verb. It is from Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Historical forms in the chain include *(s)meh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), commanden (Middle English), comander (Old French), commando (Late Latin), and commendo (Latin). Current senses include an order telling someone to do something, to officially order someone to do something, and the power or authority to control a group, especially in the army. Derived forms include c-command, commandability, commandable, commandeer, and commander. Related words include commend, compulsory, disobey, and law.

## Topics
- People & Society

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