noun / adjective
general
Holding senior command over an organized body.
The general reviews the battle plan with her officers.
Etymology
The Latin adjective concerns the whole. In titles such as captain-general, it marked authority extending over the entire body, and general became the commander’s title itself.
More examples
- Two generals meet to discuss the troops' withdrawal.
- The general manager oversees every department in the company.
- The attorney general leads the state's legal department.
Forms
general · generals
generalship noun — The skill of commanding military forces.