[Middle English amiral, admiral, Muslim military commander, emir, admiral, ultimately (partly via Old French amiral) from Medieval Latin admīrālis, alteration (influenced by admīrārī, to wonder at, admire) of amīrālis, ultimately (possibly via Medieval Greek ameras, amerad-) from Arabic 'amīr, commander; see ʾmr in the Appendix of Semitic roots + Latin -ālis, noun suffix. Alternatively, both Old French amiral and Medieval Latin amīrālis ultimately from Arabic 'amīr-al-'ālī, the high commander ('amīr + al, the + 'ālī, high; see ʿly in the Appendix of Semitic roots).]