[kom-uh
n-dant, -dahnt, kom-uhn-dant, -dahnt] 
| 1. | the commanding officer of a place, group, etc.: the commandant of a naval base. |
| 2. | the title of the senior officer and head of the U.S. Marine Corps. |
| 3. | U.S. Army. a title generally given to the heads of military schools. |
| 4. | a commander. |
| com·man·dant (kŏm'ən-dānt', -dänt') n. Abbr. Comdt. The commanding officer of a military organization. [French, from present participle of commander, to command, from Old French comander; see command.] |
commandant
commander of a single place or body of men, such as a military school or training unit, or of a larger organization such as a naval district in the United States. The rank of a commandant depends upon the size and importance of his command: in the British Army a colonel commandant is the senior officer of a regiment; in the French Army a commandant is the commanding officer of a battalion, a rank equivalent to major; and the commandant of the United States Marine Corps is a four-star general. Headquarters commandant denotes a staff officer in charge of the internal administration of a military headquarters, with emphasis on maintenance and security of buildings and grounds
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