brigadier

[brig-uh-deer]

noun

1. British Military.,  a rank between colonel and major general.

2. U.S. Army Informal.,  a brigadier general.

3. History/Historical.,  a noncommissioned rank in the Napoleonic armies.

brigadier

/ ˌbrɪɡəˈdɪə /

noun

1. an officer of the British Army or Royal Marines who holds a rank junior to a major general but senior to a colonel, usually commanding a brigade

2. an equivalent rank in other armed forces

3. army short for brigadier general

4. history a noncommissioned rank in the armies of Napoleon I

Other Word Forms

• brigadiership noun
• underbrigadier noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brigadier¹

1670–80; < French: officer commanding a brigade; brigade, -ier ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of brigadier¹

C17: from French, from _brigade

Example Sentences

A large number of former and serving army officials have shared the viral video of the woman and pledged support to her fight since her father is a retired army brigadier.

Read more on BBC

It was a cause of acute embarrassment for Berlin given that a brigadier general in the Luftwaffe appeared to allow spies into the secure call by dialling in on an insecure line.

Read more on BBC

A rare collection of 12 medals awarded to a brigadier have fetched £100,000 at auction.

Read more on BBC

Don Bolduc, a Haley surrogate, failed New Hampshire Senate candidate and retired brigadier general, held a news conference earlier Wednesday aimed at Trump’s criticism of Michael Haley.

Read more on Seattle Times

The retired brigadier general had said publicly that he preferred to seek dialogue with the protesters.

Read more on Seattle Times