In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and effect attacks. Originally "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opposed to an individual in that unit. In other languages, commando and kommando denote a "command", including the sense of a military unit. Use of the singular to mean one man arose by popular misunderstanding of unexplained use of the plural in newspaper descriptions of the deeds of "(the) commandos".

Noun

Commando Wikipedia commando (plural commandos)

1. A small fighting force specially trained for making quick destructive raids against enemy-held areas
2. A commando trooper
3. (historical) An organized force of Boer troops in South Africa; a raid by such troops

Derived terms

• go commando