n.
Pronunciation: ' ad-m( ə -)r ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French amiral commander & Medieval Latin admiralis emir, admirallus admiral, from Arabic am ī r-al- commander of the (as in am ī r-al-ba ḥ r commander of the sea)
Date: 15th century
1 archaic : the commander in chief of a navy
2 a : FLAG OFFICER b : a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard who ranks above a vice admiral and whose insignia is four stars ― compare GENERAL
3 archaic : FLAGSHIP
4 : any of several brightly colored nymphalid butterflies ― compare RED ADMIRAL