Definition of "colonel" []

• A commissioned rank in the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above lieutenant colonel and below brigadier general. (noun)
• One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization. (noun)
• An honorary nonmilitary title awarded by some states of the United States. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "William Jackson was reportedly a professor at the University of Georgia; the nature of his military service and the source of the title colonel is unknown."
• "He was given the title colonel to impress Titusville residents."
• "I'm guessing the colonel is a fan of Sergio Leone films."