Meanings
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1
noun
historical: the British government department and its officers formerly responsible for naval affairs
The Admiralty ordered the fleet to prepare for an extended blockade.
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2
noun
a court with authority over maritime cases, or the body of maritime law it administers
The collision claim was heard in admiralty because it arose on navigable waters.
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3
noun
the office, authority, or jurisdiction of an admiral
The appointment carried admiralty over the kingdom's western ports.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From Middle English admiralte, borrowed from Anglo-French admiralté, 'office or jurisdiction of an admiral,' formed from admiral + -ty. The capitalized Admiralty became the name of the former British department governing the Royal Navy.