The difference between Captain and Pilot

When used as nouns, captain means a chief or leader, whereas pilot means a person who steers a ship, a helmsman.

When used as verbs, captain means to act as captain, whereas pilot means to control (an aircraft or watercraft).

Pilot is also adjective with the meaning: made or used as a test or demonstration of capability.

check bellow for the other definitions of Captain and Pilot

  1. Captain as a noun:

    A chief or leader.

  2. Captain as a noun:

    The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.

    Examples:

    "The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship."

  3. Captain as a noun:

    An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.

  4. Captain as a noun:

    A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.

  5. Captain as a noun:

    A commissioned officer in the United States Navy, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps, or PHS Corps of a grade superior to a commander and junior to a rear admiral (lower half). A captain is equal in grade or rank to an Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.

  6. Captain as a noun:

    One of the athletes on a sports team who is designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.

  7. Captain as a noun:

    The leader of a group of workers.

    Examples:

    "John Henry said to the captain, "A man ain't nothing but a man."

  8. Captain as a noun:

    The head boy of a school.

  9. Captain as a noun:

    A maître d'.

  10. Captain as a noun (southern US):

    An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

  11. Captain as a noun (internet):

    Someone who provides contextual information for a post. Originally a shorthand for 'Captain Obvious'.

  1. Captain as a verb (intransitive):

    To act as captain

  2. Captain as a verb (transitive):

    To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

  1. Pilot as a noun:

    A person who steers a ship, a helmsman.

  2. Pilot as a noun:

    A person who knows well the depths and currents of a harbor or coastal area, who is hired by a vessel to help navigate the harbor or coast.

  3. Pilot as a noun:

    A guide book for maritime navigation.

  4. Pilot as a noun:

    An instrument for detecting the compass error.

  5. Pilot as a noun (AU, road transport, informal):

    A pilot vehicle.

  6. Pilot as a noun (AU, road transport):

    A person authorised to drive such a vehicle during an escort.

  7. Pilot as a noun:

    A guide or escort through an unknown or dangerous area.

  8. Pilot as a noun (mining):

    Something serving as a test or trial. The heading or excavation of relatively small dimensions, first made in the driving of a larger tunnel.

    Examples:

    "We would like to run a pilot in your facility before rolling out the program citywide."

  9. Pilot as a noun (aviation):

    A person who is in charge of the controls of an aircraft.

  10. Pilot as a noun (television):

    A sample episode of a proposed TV series produced to decide if it should be made or not; the first episode of an actual TV show.

  11. Pilot as a noun (rail transport):

    A cowcatcher.

  12. Pilot as a noun:

    A pilot light.

  13. Pilot as a noun:

    One who flies a kite.

  14. Pilot as a noun:

    A short plug, sometimes made interchangeable, at the end of a counterbore to guide the tool.

  1. Pilot as an adjective:

    Made or used as a test or demonstration of capability.

    Examples:

    "a pilot run of the new factory"

    "The pilot plant showed the need for major process changes."

  2. Pilot as an adjective:

    Used to control or activate another device.

    Examples:

    "a pilot light"

  3. Pilot as an adjective:

    Being a vehicle to warn other road users of the presence of an oversize vehicle/combination.

    Examples:

    "a pilot vehicle"

  1. Pilot as a verb (transitive):

    To control (an aircraft or watercraft).

  2. Pilot as a verb (transitive):

    To guide (a vessel) through coastal waters.

  3. Pilot as a verb (transitive):

    To test or have a preliminary trial of (an idea, a new product, etc.)

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