colonel
/kɔ.lɔ.nɛl/masculine
The English word colonel is translated into French as colonel.
colonel refers to a commissioned officer in the armed services.
Meaning: commissioned office in the armed services (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word colonel is spelled identically in both English and French, though the pronunciation is different.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is colonel, while the feminine form of the rank is colonelle.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: /kɔ.lɔ.nɛl/.
Did you know?
- The French word colonel is a direct descendant of the Italian word colonnello, which originally referred to the 'column' of soldiers the officer led.
- In the French military, the rank of colonel is a critical transition point, as it is the first rank of the 'superior officers' category.
- While English speakers pronounce the 'l' as an 'r' sound, the French colonel retains the 'l' sound, making it rhyme with sel meaning 'salt'.
Examples in context
- Il tient le rang de colonel.He holds the rank of colonel.This sentence shows how to use the rank colonel in the context of holding a position.Tatoeba #133510 by Micsmithel, translation #304637 by CK
- Le colonel était rouge de colère.The Colonel flushed angrily.This sentence uses the rank colonel to describe a person's state of anger.Tatoeba #8959164 by lbdx, translation #6957736 by Hybrid
- Sami est devenu lieutenant-colonel.Sami became a lieutenant-colonel.This sentence illustrates the use of the rank colonel within the compound title lieutenant-colonel.Tatoeba #6572806 by GB3, translation #6571908 by OsoHombre
- T'as entendu parler du Colo Dupont ? Il a eu une promotion !Have you heard about Colonel Dupont? He got promoted!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are talking about a family member at a dinner.
- EmmaEst-ce que ton frère est colonel ?Is your brother a colonel?
- NathanOui, il est colonel dans l'armée de terre.Yes, he is a colonel in the army.
- EmmaC'est un poste très impressionnant.That is a very impressive position.
- NathanIl travaille très dur pour son grade.He works very hard for his rank.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “colonel” translations and entries colonel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colonel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
