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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Admiral \Ad"mi*ral\, n. [OE. amiral, admiral, OF. amiral,
ultimately fr. Ar. am[imac]r-al-bahr commander of the sea;
Ar. am[imac]r is commander, al is the Ar. article, and
am[imac]r-al, heard in different titles, was taken as one
word. Early forms of the word show confusion with L.
admirabilis admirable, fr. admirari to admire. It is said to
have been introduced into Europe by the Genoese or Venetians,
in the 12th or 13th century. Cf. {Ameer}, {Emir}.]
1. A naval officer of the highest rank; a naval officer of
high rank, of which there are different grades. The chief
gradations in rank are admiral, vice admiral, and rear
admiral. The admiral is the commander in chief of a fleet
or of fleets.
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2. The ship which carries the admiral; also, the most
considerable ship of a fleet.
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Like some mighty admiral, dark and terrible, bearing
down upon his antagonist with all his canvas
straining to the wind, and all his thunders roaring
from his broadsides. --E. Everett.
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3. (Zool.) A handsome butterfly ({Pyrameis Atalanta}) of
Europe and America. The larva feeds on nettles.
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{Admiral shell} (Zool.), the popular name of an ornamental
cone shell ({Conus admiralis}).
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{Lord High Admiral}, a great officer of state, who (when this
rare dignity is conferred) is at the head of the naval
administration of Great Britain.
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