rear-admiral

A rear-admiral inspects a naval vessel at sea.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A high-ranking naval officer, specifically the rank immediately below vice-admiral and above commodore, typically in command of a squadron or a division of ships in a navy.

Usage Examples

• (He achieved a high officer rank in the naval hierarchy.)
• (The officer in charge of a naval squadron.)

Advanced Usage

• "rear-admiral of the blue": a historical division within the British Royal Navy, where officers were ranked by the colour of their squadron's ensign (blue, white, or red).
  • In the 18th century, a rear-admiral of the blue was the most junior of the rear-admiral ranks. (A specific classification based on squadron colour.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rear-admiral (lower half): a rank used in some navies (e.g., the United States Navy) to denote a one-star rear-admiral, equivalent to a brigadier general in other branches.
  • He served as a rear-admiral (lower half) before receiving his second star. (A specific sub-rank within the rear-admiral grade.)

Synonyms

• Flag officer: a general term for any naval officer entitled to fly a flag indicating rank, including rear-admirals.
• Commodore: a rank just below rear-admiral in some navies, though historically a temporary rank.

Related Idioms

• "To strike one's flag": a naval idiom meaning to surrender or yield authority, often used in reference to a rear-admiral lowering his command flag.
  • The rear-admiral ordered his ship to strike its flag as a sign of defeat. (The officer conceded command.)

Additional Notes

• The term "rear-admiral" originates from the historical position of the admiral commanding the rear division of a fleet, as opposed to the "vice-admiral" (centre) and "admiral" (van).