brigadier
Americannoun
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British Military. a rank between colonel and major general.
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U.S. Army Informal. a brigadier general.
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History/Historical. a noncommissioned rank in the Napoleonic armies.
noun
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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
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an equivalent rank in other armed forces
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army short for brigadier general
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history a noncommissioned rank in the armies of Napoleon I
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of brigadier
1670–80; < French: officer commanding a brigade; see brigade, -ier 2
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.
“These are some of our best allies, and they had no idea,” said Bacon, who is a retired Air Force brigadier general.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
"The French nation posthumously promotes Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general," the law reads.
From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025
As a result, Finerty was demoted to brigadier general.
From Salon • Mar. 4, 2025
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.
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2024
I said nothing to the brigadier, for I knew the decision had not been his.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
