Colonelcy

colo·nel  (kûrnl)

n.

1.

a. Abbr. COL or Col or Col. A commissioned rank in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above lieutenant colonel and below brigadier general.

b. One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

2. An honorary nonmilitary title awarded by some states of the United States.

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[Alteration of obsolete coronel, from French, from Old Italian colonello, from diminutive of colonna, column of soldiers, from Latin columna, column; see kel-² in Indo-European roots.]

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colonel·cy, colonel·ship n.