Dictionary

admiral en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈædməɹəl/ (Australia, UK)
• /ˈædməɹəl/ (Canada, US)
• /ˈædmɹəl/ (Australia, UK)
• [æd.mɹəl] (Canada, US)
• /ˈædməɹl/ (Australia, UK)
• /ˈædmɚəl/ (Canada, US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr) Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Medieval Latin -ālis ▲ Latin admīrorinflu. Medieval Latin admirālisder. Old French admiralder. Middle English admiral English admiral From Middle English admiral etc., from Anglo-Norman and Old French admiral etc., from Medieval Latin admiralis, admirallus, and admiralius, from irregular modification of amiralis etc. under the influence of the prefix ad- and particularly admiror (“to admire, respect”), from Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “commander”) + -alis (“-al”). The ending is frequently but mistakenly folk etymologized to derive from the article ال (al-), particularly in Arabic أَمِير اَلبَحْر (ʔamīr al-baḥr, “commander of the sea”), first attested as a Fatimid office, or in Arabic أَمِير الْمُؤْمِنِين (ʔamīr al-muʔminīn, “Commander of the Believers, caliph”). It seems instead to have been borrowed from modification of only the first term in Arabic أَمِير الْأُمَرَاء (ʔamīr al-ʔumarāʔ, “emir of emirs, commander-in-chief”) as used as a title for important commanders in Norman Sicily in the mid-12th century. First attested as an English rank in reference to Gervase Alard of Winchelsea as "admiral of the fleet of the Cinque Ports". Doublet of emir, amir, Amir, and amira.

Meanings

1. (informal) The commander of a naval squadron or fleet, regardless of formal rank.
2. The appointed commander of a navy, regardless of formal title.
3. A high rank in the British and American Navies, NATO grade OF-9, equivalent ranks in other navies, in coast guards, etc.
   • ... from my experience in Ours as well as from my former intimacy with many Officers of Note in the British Navy, I am convinced that the Parity of Rank between Sea & land or Marine Officers, is of more consequence to the harmony of the Service, than hath generally been imagined. — in the British Establishment — an Admiral ranks with a Genl a Vice Admiral with a Lieut Genl a Rear Admiral with a Major Genl a Commodore with a Brigadier Genl — a Captain with a Colonel, a master & Commander with a Lieut Colnel — a Lieut. Commanding with a Major, and a Lieutenant in the Navy Ranks with a Captain of Horse, Foot or Marines. — I propose not our Enemies as an Example for our Genl imitation — Yet as their Navy is the best regulated of any in the World, we must in Some degree imitate them and Aim at such further improvement as may one day make ours Vie with and Exceed theirs. 1776 September 4, John Paul Jones, letter to Robert Morris
   • He has appealed to the navies of Europe to prove, that we ought to have Admirals; then, of course he is willing, or at least ought to be so, to let their rules govern in promoting to that grade. The general principle which governs the navies of the old world is... when the Post is attained, then promotion is by inheritance... If a Post Captain in the English navy lives long enough, he is certain of being an Admiral, though not before he is sixty years of age... Hence it is manifest that the public interest no more requires the new grade of Admiral to be added to the navy, than it does the bestowing of orders of nobility on all the diplomatic agents, who represent the United States at the different courts of Europe. 1836 March 17, 'Candor', "The Navy", Army and Navy Chronicle, Vol. II, No. 11, p. 173
4. The commander of a fishing or merchant fleet, particularly (historical, Canada) a captain granted special privileges in exchange for bringing the first ship of a given fishing season to certain harbors in Newfoundland.
5. Any of several species of nymphalid butterflies of the genera Kaniska, Limenitis and Vanessa.
6. The shell of the Conus ammiralis; the cone shells of various other species displaying similarly intricate banding.
7. (historical) Synonym of flagship: an admiral's ship in a fleet, the command or largest ship in a naval or commercial fleet.
8. (historical, uncommon) Synonym of emir, a Muslim commander or prince.
   • The Saracen admiral, Balán... held court in the Castillo de Aguas Muertas... 2004, Howard Mancing, The Cervantes Encyclopedia, volume I, page 373:
9. (obsolete) Any of several varieties of pear, the trees which produce them.

Forms

Deriveds

Lorquin's admiral · vice admiral · under-admiral · blue admiral · admiral cone · admiral of the sea · brown admiral · admiral shell · red admiral · general admiral · ride admiral · white admiral · admiralty · grand admiral · fishing admiral · admiralship · High Admiral · admiral of the red · squadron admiral · scarlet admiral · Lord High Admiral · admiral pear · lieutenant admiral · Admiral of the Navy · rear admiral · admiraless · admiral sauce · admiral-in-chief · commodore admiral · yellow admiral · full admiral · admiral of the blue · sub-admiral · tap the admiral · port admiral · admiral of the Swiss Navy · admiralcy · admiral ship · admiral of the white · Dutch admiral · admiral butterfly · Kentucky Admiral · admiral of the fleet · fleet admiral

Descendants

admiral · অ্যাডমিরাল · admiral · admirali · Admiral

Hyponyms

counter admiral · lieutenant admiral · Admiral of the Fleet · vice admiral · general admiral · rear-admiral · counter-admiral · sub-admiral · Lord High Admiral · grand admiral · vice-admiral · general-admiral · rear admiral · lieutenant-admiral · Admiral of the Navy · full admiral · fleet admiral · commodore admiral

Synonyms

emir · flagship

Translations (122)

bg адмирал (appointed commander of a navy) · ro amiral (appointed commander of a navy) · cy llyngesydd (appointed commander of a navy) · sq admiral (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · ky адмирал (appointed commander of a navy) · sl admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · nl admiraal (appointed commander of a navy) · fa دریاسالار (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · da admiral (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · mi ātamira (appointed commander of a navy) · sq admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · da admiral (butterfly) · sv amiral (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · ug ئادمىرال (appointed commander of a navy) · hu tengernagy (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · ur امیر البحر (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · fi amiraali (butterfly) · yi אַדמיראַל (appointed commander of a navy) · fr amiral (appointed commander of a navy) · ga aimiréal (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · eo ŝiparestro (appointed commander of a navy) · gl almiral (appointed commander of a navy) · ga aimiréal (butterfly) · ota آمیرال (appointed commander of a navy) · az admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · lt admirolas (appointed commander of a navy) · sh адмѝра̄л (appointed commander of a navy) · scn ammiragghiu (appointed commander of a navy) · grc ναύαρχος (appointed commander of a navy) · be адміра́л (appointed commander of a navy) · hu tengernagy (appointed commander of a navy) · hi ऐडमिरल (appointed commander of a navy) · tg адмирал (appointed commander of a navy) · cs babočka admirál (butterfly) · fi laivastoamiraali (appointed commander of a navy) · pt almirante (appointed commander of a navy) · pl admirał (butterfly) · he אַדְמִירָל (appointed commander of a navy) · ar أَمِيرُ البَحْر (appointed commander of a navy) · hu admirális (appointed commander of a navy) · tr amiral (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · hy ծովակալ (appointed commander of a navy) · se admirála (appointed commander of a navy) · fi amiraali (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · es almirante (appointed commander of a navy) · ar أَدْمِيرَال (appointed commander of a navy) · ur ایڈمرل (appointed commander of a navy) · cmn 海軍上將 /海军上将 (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · fi amiraali (appointed commander of a navy) · hi एडमिरल (appointed commander of a navy) · ga aimiréal (appointed commander of a navy) · nb admiral (butterfly) · hi जलसेनापति (appointed commander of a navy) · chn iləp ship-man (appointed commander of a navy) · uz admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · fr amiral (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · vi đô đốc (appointed commander of a navy) · el ναύαρχος (appointed commander of a navy) · pt almirante (butterfly) · af admiraal (appointed commander of a navy) · lv admirālis (appointed commander of a navy) · kk адмирал (appointed commander of a navy) · mk адмирал (appointed commander of a navy) · tl almirante (appointed commander of a navy) · nrf amitha (appointed commander of a navy) · hi नावाधिपति (appointed commander of a navy) · ru адмира́л (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · nn admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · pt almirante (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · ka ადმირალი (appointed commander of a navy) · cmn 海軍上將 /海军上将 (appointed commander of a navy) · hy ծովակալ (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · nb admiralsommerfugl (butterfly) · tl almirante (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · sv amiral (butterfly) · el ναύαρχος (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · gl almirante (appointed commander of a navy) · sk admirál (appointed commander of a navy) · fo admirálur (appointed commander of a navy) · id laksamana (appointed commander of a navy) · ru адмира́л (appointed commander of a navy) · th พลเรือเอก (appointed commander of a navy) · de Admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · gv ard-marragh (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · cs admirál (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · pl admirał (appointed commander of a navy) · la nāvarchus (appointed commander of a navy) · et admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · sw admirali (appointed commander of a navy) · bg адмирал (butterfly) · tl laksamana (appointed commander of a navy) · ia admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · hu admirális (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · cs admirál (appointed commander of a navy) · gv ard-marragh (appointed commander of a navy) · ur امیر البحر (appointed commander of a navy) · ko 제독 (appointed commander of a navy) · fi suuramiraali (appointed commander of a navy) · it ammiraglio (appointed commander of a navy) · se admirála (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · tl ádmirál (appointed commander of a navy) · es almirante (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · fa دریابد (appointed commander of a navy) · tr amiral (appointed commander of a navy) · af admiraal (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · es almirante (butterfly) · tk admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · ru адмира́л (butterfly) · ja 海軍大将 (appointed commander of a navy) · is aðmíráll (appointed commander of a navy) · uk адміра́л (appointed commander of a navy) · da admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · ja 提督 (appointed commander of a navy) · sv amiral (appointed commander of a navy) · ca almirall (appointed commander of a navy) · ja 海軍大将 (high naval rank in the British and American navies or equivalent ranks) · hi नौसेनापति (appointed commander of a navy) · nb admiral (appointed commander of a navy) · cmn 紅蛺蝶 /红蛱蝶 (butterfly) · eo admiralo (appointed commander of a navy) · ms laksamana (appointed commander of a navy) · sh admìrāl (appointed commander of a navy)

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