admiral

noun ad·mi·ral \ˈad-m(ə-)rəl\

: a high-ranking officer in the navy

Full Definition of ADMIRAL

archaic : the commander in chief of a navy

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

archaic : flagship

: any of several brightly colored nymphalid butterflies — compare red admiral

See admiral defined for English-language learners

See admiral defined for kids

Origin of ADMIRAL

Middle English, from Anglo-French amiral commander & Medieval Latin admiralis emir, admirallus admiral, from Arabic amīr-al- commander of the (as in amīr-al-baḥr commander of the sea)

First Known Use: 15th century

ADMIRAL Defined for Kids

admiral

noun ad·mi·ral \ˈad-mə-rəl, -mrəl\

Definition of ADMIRAL for Kids

: a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a vice admiral

Word History of ADMIRAL

The word admiral looks a lot like the word admire. The two words, though, are not related. Admire came from a Latin verb that meant “to marvel at.” Admiral came from an Arabic title that meant “commander.” It may have been part of a phrase that meant “commander of the sea.”