Adjacent Words

Admiral definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AD'MIRAL, n. [In the Latin of the middle ages. Amira, Amiras, Admiralis, an Emir; Heb. to speak. The terminating syllable of admiral may be from the sea. This word is said to have been introduced in Europe by the Turks, Genoese or Venetains, in the 12th or 13th century.]
A marine commander in chief; the commander of a fleet or navy.
1. The Lord High Admiral, in Great Britain, is an officer who superintends all maritime affairs, and has the government of the navy. He has also jurisdiction over all maritime causes, and commissions the naval officers.
2. The Admiral of the fleet, the highest officer under the admiralty. When he embarks on an expedition, the union flag is displayed at the main top gallant mast head.
3. The Vice Admiral, an officer next in rank and command to the Admiral, has command of the second squadron. He carries his flag at the fore top gallant mast head. This name is given also to certain officers who have power to hold courts of vice-admiralty, in various parts of the British dominions.
4. The Rear Admiral, next in rank to the Vice Admiral, has command of the third squadron, and carries his flag at the mizen top gallant mast head.
5. The commander of any single fleet, or in general any flag officer.
6. The ship which carries the admiral; also the most considerable ship of a fleet of merchantmen, or of fishing vessels.
7. In zoology, a species of shell-fish. [See Voluta.]
8. Also a butterfly, which lays her eggs on the great stinging nettle, and delights in brambles.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral [syn: admiral, full admiral]
2: any of several brightly colored butterflies

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French amiral commander & Medieval Latin admiralis emir, admirallus admiral, from Arabic am?r-al- commander of the (as in am?r-al-ba?r commander of the sea) Date: 15th century 1. archaic the commander in chief of a navy 2. a. flag officer b. a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard who ranks above a vice admiral and whose insignia is four stars — compare general 3. archaic flagship 4. any of several brightly colored nymphalid butterflies — compare red admiral

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a the commander-in-chief of a country's navy. b a naval officer of high rank, the commander of a fleet or squadron. c (Admiral) an admiral of the second grade. 2 any of various butterflies (red admiral; white admiral). Phrases and idioms: Admiral of the Fleet an admiral of the first grade. Fleet Admiral US = Admiral of the Fleet. Derivatives: admiralship n. Etymology: ME f. OF a(d)mira(i)l etc. f. med.L a(d)miralis etc., f. Arab. ' amir commander (cf. AMIR), assoc. with ADMIRABLE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Admiral Ad"mi*ral, n. [OE. amiral, admiral, OF. amiral, ultimately fr. Ar. am[=i]r-al-bahr commander of the sea; Ar. am[=i]r is commander, al is the Ar. article, and am[=i]r-al, heard in different titles, was taken as one word. Early forms of the word show confusion with L. admirabilis admirable, fr. admirari to admire. It is said to have been introduced into Europe by the Genoese or Venetians, in the 12th or 13th century. Cf. Ameer, Emir.] 1. A naval officer of the highest rank; a naval officer of high rank, of which there are different grades. The chief gradations in rank are admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral. The admiral is the commander in chief of a fleet or of fleets. 2. The ship which carries the admiral; also, the most considerable ship of a fleet. Like some mighty admiral, dark and terrible, bearing down upon his antagonist with all his canvas straining to the wind, and all his thunders roaring from his broadsides. --E. Everett. 3. (Zo["o]l.) A handsome butterfly (Pyrameis Atalanta) of Europe and America. The larva feeds on nettles. Admiral shell (Zo["o]l.), the popular name of an ornamental cone shell (Conus admiralis). Lord High Admiral, a great officer of state, who (when this rare dignity is conferred) is at the head of the naval administration of Great Britain.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(admirals) An admiral is a very senior officer who commands a navy. ...Admiral Hodges. N-COUNT; N-TITLE