2. Also called: admiral of the fleet, fleet admiral
a naval officer of the highest rank, equivalent to general of the army or field marshal
3.
a senior naval officer entitled to fly his or her own flag
See also rear admiral, vice admiral
4. mainly British
the master of a fishing fleet
5.
any of various nymphalid butterflies, esp the red admiral or white admiral
Derived forms
admiralship (ˈadmiralˌship)
noun
Word origin
C13: amyral, from Old French amiral emir, and from Medieval Latin admīrālis (the spelling with d probably influenced by admīrābilis admirable); both from Arabic amīr emir, commander, esp in the phrase amīr-al commander of, as in amīr-al-bahr commander of the sea
admiral in American English
(ˈædmərəl)
noun
1.
the commanding officer of a navy or fleet
2. US Navy
a.
an officer of the highest rank, ranking just above a vice admiral and having the insignia of four stars
see also fleet admiral
b.
generally, any of the officers ranking above a captain, with admiral as part of the title of their rank
3. Archaic
a vessel carrying the admiral; flagship
4.
any of various large, colorful butterflies (genera Limenitis and Vanessa) with unusually small forelegs
Derived forms
admiralship (ˈadmiralˌship)
noun
Word origin
ME admirail, amirail < OFr admiral, amiral < Ar ʾamīr al-ʿālī < ʾamīr, leader + ʿālī, high; sp. infl. by admirable
Examples of 'admiral' in a sentence
admiral
There have been large numbers here and there of one of the other big colourful butterflies, the red admiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The first red admirals are out and about.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The retired admirals and generals can be criticised for not kicking up more of a fuss when they were in command.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The generals directed military operations, and the admirals naval operations.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Of the large colourful butterflies, red admirals are the most noticeable so far.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You can find certain retired generals and admirals who are sceptical about spending money on Trident.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I urge him to take a good look at a red admiral butterfly.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Of the large butterflies, red admirals and commas seem to be the most successful and common this autumn.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Some of the large colourful butterflies such as red admirals can also still be seen, though they have not been very common this summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
PAs tend to be civil servants who work for high-ranking naval officers, generally from rear admiral upwards.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
As Britannia steamed closer, the signals flew back and forth between the rear admiral in command and the ambassador.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Here he had a grandstand view of the day's action, of the admiral fighting his fleet and the captain fighting his ship.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His grandfather and great-grandfather were both US navy admirals.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I saw ONE red admiral last year.
The Sun (2011)
She turned to her admirals and generals, asked if we could drive the Argentinians out and backed them to the hilt when they set about the job.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
admiral
British English: admiral NOUN
An admiral is a senior officer in a navy.
...Admiral Smith.
American English: admiral
Brazilian Portuguese: almirante
Chinese: 海军上将
European Spanish: almirante
French: amiral
German: Admiral
Italian: ammiraglio
Japanese: 海軍大将
Korean: 해군 제독
European Portuguese: almirante
Latin American Spanish: almirante
All related terms of 'admiral'
red admiral
a nymphalid butterfly , Vanessa atalanta , of temperate Europe and Asia, having black wings with red and white markings
fleet admiral
an officer holding the most senior commissioned rank in the US and certain other navies
rear admiral
A rear admiral is a senior officer in the navy.
vice admiral
a commissioned officer of flag rank in certain navies , junior to an admiral and senior to a rear admiral
white admiral
a nymphalid butterfly , Limenitis camilla, of Eurasia , having brown wings with white markings
red admiral butterfly
a nymphalid butterfly , Vanessa atalanta , of temperate Europe and Asia, having black wings with red and white markings
admiral of the fleet
an officer of the highest rank in the Royal Navy , equivalent to field marshal