Use colonel for the senior field‑grade military rank, not as a verb or for lower‑level units.
Use colonel for the senior field‑grade military rank, not as a verb or for lower‑level units.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| He was promoted to coloneled last week. | He was promoted to colonel last week. |
| The colonel will lead the company. | The colonel will lead the regiment. |
| She called him colonel during the meeting. | She called him Colonel during the meeting. |
| A colonel is lower than a captain. | A colonel is higher than a captain. |
Use colonel as a Southern honorific when addressing a person respectfully, not as a generic title for any respected individual.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I met colonel at the grocery store. | I met Colonel at the grocery store. |
| He is a colonel in the police force. | He is a colonel in the army. |
| We called him colonel because he is a senior officer. | We called him Colonel as a Southern honorific. |
| The title colonel is used for any respected person. | The title Colonel is used mainly in the Southern United States as an honorific. |
Use colonel for the senior field‑grade military rank or as a Southern honorific; avoid using it as a verb or for unrelated titles.
The term is often mis‑used as a verb or applied to non‑military persons, leading to sentences like he coloneled or colonel Smith for a civilian.
From French colonel, which came from Italian colonnello ‘little column’, itself derived from Latin columna ‘column’.
What does colonel mean in the military?
Colonel is a senior field‑grade officer rank, above lieutenant colonel and below brigadier general.
How is colonel pronounced?
In English it is pronounced ker‑nel, despite its spelling.
What is the rank of a colonel compared to other officers?
A colonel commands a regiment or brigade and ranks higher than a major or lieutenant colonel, but lower than a general.
Why is colonel used as an honorific in the Southern United States?
The title became a respectful form of address in the South, often for community leaders, regardless of actual military service.
Can colonel be used as a verb?
No, colonel is not a verb; using it as one is a common mistake.
What is the origin of the word colonel?
It comes from French colonel, from Italian colonnello ‘little column’, ultimately from Latin columna ‘column’.
Is it correct to address a civilian as colonel?
It is acceptable only as a Southern honorific; otherwise it should refer to the military rank.