admiral

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a senior naval officer, typically of the highest ranks and often commanding a fleet

   The admiral ordered the fleet to remain outside the harbor until dawn.

2. 2
   noun

   any of several large, brightly marked butterflies, especially the red admiral

   A red admiral settled on the sun-warmed wall.

From Middle English and Old French admiral, ultimately from Arabic amir, 'commander.' Medieval Latin and French reshaped the word, and its spelling was influenced by Latin admirari, 'to admire'; the familiar ending is not originally the Arabic article al-.

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