colo ‧ nel /ˈkɜːnl $ ˈkɜːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: coronal 'colonel' (16-17 centuries) , from French coronnel , from Old Italian colonnello 'column of soldiers, colonel' , from colonna 'column' , from Latin columna ; ⇨ ↑ column ]
a high rank in the army, Marines, or the US air force, or someone who has this rank