n. 1 a non-commissioned army or air-force officer ranking next below sergeant. 2 (in full ship's corporal) Brit. an officer under the master-at-arms, attending to police matters. 3 US a freshwater fallfish, Semotilis corporalis.
[ obs. F, var. of caporal f. It. caporale prob. f. L corporalis (as CORPORAL(2)), confused with It. capo head ]