caporal
1 Americannoun
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of caporal1
1840–50; short for French tabac du caporal tobacco of the corporal 2
Origin of caporal2
1590–1600; < Spanish: chief, manager < Italian; see corporal 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.
The dust of le petit caporal was deposited in a magnificent tomb in the Hotel des Invalides, before the eyes of a few survivors of his Old Guard.
From Life of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen — Volume 1 by Tytler, Sarah
They were heroes, nevertheless; and, I suppose, une fois caporal, toujours caporal.
From Elinor Wyllys, Volume 1 by Cooper, Susan Fenimore
He walked off with Freda, puffing at his thin roll of caporal.
From Villa Rubein, and other stories by Galsworthy, John
"I am the caporal in charge of the dépôt of the engineers in the cellar," continued my visitor, "and I thought I'd come in and see how you were."
From A Volunteer Poilu by Beston, Henry
With arms folded and head bent, he looked more le gros caporal than ever.
From Angelot A Story of the First Empire by Price, Eleanor C. (Eleanor Catherine)
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.
