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colonel

/ˈkɝnəl/
nounverb

Colonel meaning: a military officer or honorary title; COLONEL scores 9 Scrabble points and has no anagrams.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines).

  2. An honorary civilian title bestowed by some southern US states, most commonly Kentucky; notably Colonel Sanders of KFC.

  3. An informal title used to address an elderly man.

  4. A form of address for an auctioneer, from the American Civil War practice of commanding officers organizing the public sale of seized goods.

Verb 1 meaning

  1. To act as or like a colonel.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

First attested in the 1540s, from Middle French coronnel, from Old Italian colonnello (“the officer of a small company of soldiers (column) that marched at the head of a regiment”), from compagnia colonnella (“little column company”), from Latin columna (“pillar”), originally a collateral form of columen, contraction culmen (“a pillar, top, crown, summit”), o-grade form from a Proto-Indo-European *kelH- (“to rise, be elevated, be prominent”).

COLONEL is a seven-letter word accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE. Its familiar military meaning is only part of the story: some US states use it as an honorary civilian title, too. For word games, the key details are a 9-point tile score, two one-letter neighbors, and no rearrangements that make another word.

COLONEL at a glance

  • COLONEL has seven letters and no anagrams.
  • COLONEL scores 9 Scrabble points: C is worth 3, and every other tile is worth 1.
  • Its two one-letter neighbors are CORONEL and COLONES.
  • The word names a military rank and can also be an honorary civilian title.

Colonel meaning and how the word is used

A colonel is a commissioned officer in a military organization, usually the highest rank before flag officers such as generals. The word covers an actual rank, not just a formal-sounding way to address someone.

In some southern US states, “colonel” is also an honorary civilian title; Colonel Sanders is a well-known example. The term has other uses, including an informal address for an older man and a title for an auctioneer. Those senses make the word less narrow than its military definition suggests.

What makes COLONEL unusual in word games?

The 9-point Scrabble total comes from the C, worth 3, plus six tiles worth 1 each. The repeated O and L tiles do not create an anagram: no different word can be made using exactly the same letters. COLONEL is pronounced like KERNEL, which appears among its rhymes beside CHANNEL and TUNNEL.

For a clue asking for the colonel meaning rather than a seven-letter play, start with the military rank. For a letter-change puzzle, CORONEL and COLONES are the two neighbors, each differing by one letter. Both are far less familiar than COLONEL, so check your game's word list before playing either.

Rhymes with colonel

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • CORONEL9
  • COLONES9

Questions people ask

Is COLONEL a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, COLONEL is accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE. It is a seven-letter word meaning a military officer, and its tile values add up to 9 Scrabble points. Its spelling and its pronunciation are famously out of step with each other.
How many points is COLONEL in Scrabble?
COLONEL is worth 9 points before any board bonuses. Its C tile contributes 3 points, while the two O tiles, two L tiles, N, and E are each worth 1. A premium letter or word square changes the total during play.
Does COLONEL have any anagrams?
No, COLONEL has no anagrams. Its letters, sorted as CELLNOO, do not form another word when rearranged. CORONEL and COLONES are one-letter neighbors, not anagrams, because each changes one letter.

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