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rear admiral

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noun

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

Origin of rear admiral

First recorded in 1580–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rear admiral

Historical Examples of rear admiral

  • Rear-Admiral Dewey (for he had just been promoted in rank) declared the port blockaded.

  • At the end of the hour, the rear-admiral bethought him of retiring too.

    The Two Admirals

    J. Fenimore Cooper

  • The rear-admiral regarded his friend intently, as if inviting him to proceed.

    The Two Admirals

    J. Fenimore Cooper

  • Our rear-admiral, nevertheless, was not a vulgar dreamer, on such occasions.

    The Two Admirals

    J. Fenimore Cooper

  • "I want one of the young gentlemen, sentry," said the rear-admiral.

    The Two Admirals

    J. Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for rear admiral

rear admiral

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