From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcommodorecom‧mo‧dore /ˈkɒmədɔː $ ˈkɑːmədɔːr/ noun [countable] 1 PMNa high rank in the navy, or someone who has this rank2 TTWthe captain in charge of a group of ships that are carrying goods
Examples from the Corpus
commodore• The following month he received a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force, soon afterwards being promoted air commodore.• The navy's 52 admirals and commodores outnumber serviceable ships by a ratio of six to one.• The commodore had made a virtually impossible decision.• The commodore, of course, was right.Origin commodore (1600-1700) Probably from Dutch commandeur “commander”, from French, from Old French comander; → COMMAND2 