brigadier

American  

[brig-uh-deer] / ˌbrɪg əˈdɪər /

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.

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brigadier British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• brigadiership noun
• underbrigadier noun

Etymology

Origin of brigadier

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

Example Sentences

"The French nation posthumously promotes Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general," the law reads.

From Barron's

Mr. Avivi, a reservist brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces, is founder and chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

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.

From BBC

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

From BBC