general staff

American

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

a group of officers who are without command and whose duty is to assist high commanders in planning and carrying out orders in peace and war.

general staff British

noun

officers assigned to advise commanders in the planning and execution of military operations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Late Tuesday Ukraine's general staff said Russia had fired 28 missiles and 109 guided aerial bombs at its territory since the beginning of the day.

From Barron's

The army's general staff said explosions and a fire were recorded in the area.

From BBC

Regular meetings have also been held between the minister, chief of general staff, the Army and officials, according to the statement.

From BBC

Pollard said he had made this statement after receiving written confirmation from the chief of the general staff and the national armaments director saying Ajax was "demonstrably safe to operate".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023