[col.o.nel] n [alter. of coronel, fr. MF, modif. of OIt colonnello column of soldiers, colonel, dim. of colonna column, fr. L columna] (1548) 1 a: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general b: lieutenant colonel
2: a minor titular official of a state esp. in southern or midland U.S.--used as an honorific title -- col.o.nel.cy n