society > armed hostility > hostilities at sea > seafaring warrior or naval man > leader or commander > [noun] > naval officer > flag officer (32)
An admiral, a flag-officer. Obsolete.
An officer who carries a flag. An admiral, vice-admiral, or rear-admiral.
An officer who carries a flag. In U.S. navy 1857–1862 the official title of an officer in actual command of a squadron (Cent. Dict.).