Ăd'mi-ral, n.

n. [In the Latin of the middle ages, admirallus, admiraldus, admiratus, admirabilis, Fr. amiral, O. Fr. amiral, amirail, amirans, amirant, amire, Pr. admirath, amiran, amiratz, It. ammiraglio, admiraglio, ammirante, Sp. & Pg. admirante, from Ar. amîr-al-bahr, commander of the sea, the terminating syllable or word having been omitted; Ar. amîr, from amara, to command. This word is said to have been introduced into Europe by the Genoese or Venetians, in the 12th or 13th century.]

1Sense 1. A naval officer of the highest rank; the commander in chief of a fleet or navy. Johnson.

In Great Britain, there are three classes of admirals, called, from the colors of the flags they bear, admirals of the red, white, and blue, with vice and rear admirals of each flag. The management and superintendence of the British navy was formerly vested in a lord high admiral. New Am. Cyc.

2Sense 2. The ship which carries the admiral; also the most considerable ship of a fleet.

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.

3Sense 3. (Conch.) A species of Comus (C. admiralis, Linn.), and also applied to some other species. Dana.