commando

noun

com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-(ˌ)dō 

plural commandos or commandoes

1

South Africa

a

: a military unit or command of the Boers

b

: a raiding expedition

2

a

: a military unit trained and organized as shock troops especially for hit-and-run raids into enemy territory

b

: a member of such a unit

Phrases

go commando

slang : to wear no underwear

Examples of commando in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The deaths came after an earlier announcement of the first Israeli combat death in Lebanon since the start of the incursion -- a 22-year-old captain in a commando brigade. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 3 Oct. 2024

The deaths followed an earlier announcement of the first Israeli combat death in Lebanon since the start of the incursion — a 22-year-old captain in a commando brigade. —Samy Magdy, The Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2024

One of her best pieces of advice: Always go commando. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Sep. 2024

Oh, and the competitors had to go commando: no underpants. —Lisa Chase, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans kommando, from Dutch commando command, from Spanish comando, from comandar to command, from Late Latin commandare

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

commando

noun

com·​man·​do kə-ˈman-dō 

plural commandos or commandoes

1

: a military unit trained and organized for surprise raids

2

: a member of a commando