Admiral
/ˈæd.mə.rəl/noun
A high-ranking naval officer in command of a fleet or major naval formation.
Did you know?The title passed into European languages through Arabic and medieval Romance, and its final English form was shaped by a false split that added an extra -l to the original word.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic (medieval)
Arabic
amīr al-baḥr
“commander of the sea”
12th–13th Century
Old Italian / Old French
ammiraglio / amiral
“naval commander, fleet leader”
14th Century
Middle English
admyral
“naval commander”
15th Century
English
admiral
“high-ranking naval officer”