rear admiral

American

noun

U.S. Navy, Coast Guard. a commissioned officer next in rank below a vice-admiral.

rear admiral British

noun

an officer holding flag rank in any of certain navies, junior to a vice admiral

"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

Etymology

Origin of rear admiral

First recorded in 1580–90

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.

Carrier deployments during peacetime are typically six months long, with planners allowing for a few months of potential overrun if needed, said Mark Montgomery, a retired rear admiral.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Robert Duvall was floundering around in college, his father, a career Navy man who retired with the rank of rear admiral, told him to shape up — and start acting.

From Los Angeles Times

Imposters like Jonathan Carley, who was fined £500 for dressing as a rear admiral without permission, complete with an array of impressive but unearned medals he bought online.

From BBC

Questions were first raised about the post in December, shortly after the rear admiral announced he would be standing as Reform's candidate in the mayoral election.

From BBC

He's risen to the rank of rear admiral, he's given enormous service to this country.

From BBC

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