general

EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Middle English general, in turn from Anglo-Norman general, generall, Middle French general, and their source, Latin generālis, from genus (class, kind) + -ālis (-al); thus morphologically parallel with, and a doublet of, generic.

PronunciationEdit

  • (UK, US) enPR: jĕnʹrəl, IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnɹəl/
  • (US) enPR: jĕnʹər-əl, IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnəɹəl/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: (US) -ɛnəɹəl
  • Hyphenation: gene‧ral,
gen‧er‧al

AdjectiveEdit

general (comparative more general, superlative most general)

  1. Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to specific or particular. [from 13th c.]
    • c. 1495, Skelton, John, "Vppon a deedman's hed":
      It is generall / To be mortall: / I haue well espyde / No man may hym hyde / From Deth holow eyed [] .
    • 1842, Jerrold, Douglas, “Mr Peppersorn ‘At Home’”, in Cakes and Ale:
      "Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair.
    • 1946, Russell, Bertrand, “Stoicism”, in History of Western Philosophy, book 1, part 3:
      Undoubtedly the age of the Antonines was much better than any later age until the Renaissance, from the point of view of the general happiness.
    • 2006 October 15, Sutherland, Ruth, “Invite public to the private equity party”, in The Observer:
      One advantage of having profitable companies in Britain is that they pay large sums in corporate tax into the Exchequer, which in theory at least is used for the general good.
  2. (sometimes postpositive) Applied to a person (as a postmodifier or a normal preceding adjective) to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles, and later in other terms; pre-eminent. [from 14th c.]
    • 1865, Cust, Edward, Lives of the Warriors of the Thirty Years War, page 527:
      For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General.
    • 2002, Turner, James, Libertines and Radicals in Early Modern London, page 122:
      He becomes the chief chartered libertine, the whoremaster-general flourishing his "standard" over a female army [] .
  3. Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual. [from 14th c.]
    • 1817, Scott, Sir Walter, chapter IX, in Rob Roy:
      ‘I can't quite afford you the sympathy you expect upon this score,’ I replied; ‘the misfortune is so general, that it belongs to one half of the species [] .’
    • 2008 December 20, Patterson, John, “Home movies”, in The Guardian:
      The general opinion on Baz Luhrmann's overstuffed epic Australia seems to be that it throws in everything but the kitchen sink, and then tosses that in too, just to be sure.
  4. Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category. [from 14th c.]
    • 1924 March 17, Time:
      M. Venizelos went to Athens from Paris early last January in response to a general invitation from the Greek populace.
    • 2009, Zipes, Douglas P., Saturday Evening Post, volume 281, number 1, page 20:
      Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a general term indicating a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) coming from the top chambers of the heart - in essence, above (supra) the lower chamber (ventricular).
  5. Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite. [from 16th c.]
    • 1817, Scott, Sir Walter, chapter X, in Rob Roy:
      As she thus spoke, the entrance of the servants with dinner cut off all conversation but that of a general nature.
    • 2006 July 16, Nance, Kevin, “Ghosts of the White City”, in Chicago Sun-Times:
      The quick answer is that the 1893 Exposition was simply so important — "the greatest event in the history of the country since the Civil War," as Harper's put it that October — but that feels too general.
    • 2008, Maloney, Robert P., “The Quiet Carpenter”, in America, volume 199, number 19, page 18:
      Given the scarcity of relevant historical detail in the New Testament, we are left with only a general outline about Joseph.
  6. Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area. [from 16th c.]
    • 1941, Maugham, W Somerset, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 24:
      There was a moment's pause. The Princess broke in with some casual remark and once more the conversation became general.
    • 1947 October 20, “Russian Catechism”, in Time:
      Already in the primary school work is conducted for the purpose of equipping the pupils with those elements of general knowledge which are closely related to the military preparation of future warriors.
    • 2007, Cheuse, Alan, “A Little Death”, in Southern Review, volume 43, number 3, page 692:
      His measured, springless walk was the walk of the skilled countryman as distinct from the desultory shamble of the general labourer [] .

SynonymsEdit

AntonymsEdit

Related termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

NounEdit

general (countable and uncountable, plural generals)

  1. (now rare) A general fact or proposition; a generality. [from 16th c.]
    We have dealt with the generals; now let us turn to the particulars.
  2. (military) The holder of a senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces. [from 16th c.]
  3. A great strategist or tactician. [from 16th c.]
    Hannibal was one of the greatest generals of the ancient world.
  4. (Christianity) The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits. [from 16th c.]
  5. (nautical) A commander of naval forces; an admiral. [16th–18th c.]
  6. (colloquial, now historical) A general servant; a maid with no specific duties. [from 19th c.]
  7. (countable) A general anesthetic.
  8. (uncountable) General anesthesia.
  9. (uncountable, insurance) The general insurance industry.
    I work in general.
  10. (xiangqi) A xiangqi piece, that is moved one point orthogonally and confined within the palace.

Usage notesEdit

When used as a title, it is always capitalized.

Example: General John Doe.

The rank corresponds to pay grade O-10. Abbreviations: GEN.

HyponymsEdit

(high-ranking military officer):

Coordinate termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See alsoEdit

Xiangqi pieces in English · xiangqi pieces (see also: xiangqi) (layout · text)
             
general advisor elephant horse chariot cannon soldier

VerbEdit

general (third-person singular simple present generals, present participle generalling or generaling, simple past and past participle generalled or generaled)

  1. To lead (soldiers) as a general.

AdverbEdit

general (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) In a general or collective manner or sense; in most cases; upon the whole.

Derived termsEdit

terms derived from all parts of speech

AnagramsEdit

AzerbaijaniEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

Ultimately from Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): [ɟeneˈrɑɫ]
  • Hyphenation: ge‧ne‧ral

NounEdit

general (definite accusative generalı, plural generallar)

  1. general

DeclensionEdit

    Declension of general
singular plural
nominative general
generallar
definite accusative generalı
generalları
dative generala
generallara
locative generalda
generallarda
ablative generaldan
generallardan
definite genitive generalın
generalların
    Possessive forms of general
nominative
singular plural
mənim (my) generalım generallarım
sənin (your) generalın generalların
onun (his/her/its) generalı generalları
bizim (our) generalımız generallarımız
sizin (your) generalınız generallarınız
onların (their) generalı or generalları generalları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (my) generalımı generallarımı
sənin (your) generalını generallarını
onun (his/her/its) generalını generallarını
bizim (our) generalımızı generallarımızı
sizin (your) generalınızı generallarınızı
onların (their) generalını or generallarını generallarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (my) generalıma generallarıma
sənin (your) generalına generallarına
onun (his/her/its) generalına generallarına
bizim (our) generalımıza generallarımıza
sizin (your) generalınıza generallarınıza
onların (their) generalına or generallarına generallarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (my) generalımda generallarımda
sənin (your) generalında generallarında
onun (his/her/its) generalında generallarında
bizim (our) generalımızda generallarımızda
sizin (your) generalınızda generallarınızda
onların (their) generalında or generallarında generallarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (my) generalımdan generallarımdan
sənin (your) generalından generallarından
onun (his/her/its) generalından generallarından
bizim (our) generalımızdan generallarımızdan
sizin (your) generalınızdan generallarınızdan
onların (their) generalından or generallarından generallarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (my) generalımın generallarımın
sənin (your) generalının generallarının
onun (his/her/its) generalının generallarının
bizim (our) generalımızın generallarımızın
sizin (your) generalınızın generallarınızın
onların (their) generalının or generallarının generallarının

Further readingEdit

CatalanEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

general (masculine and feminine plural generals)

  1. general

NounEdit

general m (plural generals, feminine generala)

  1. (military) general

Derived termsEdit

Further readingEdit

DanishEdit

NounEdit

general c (singular definite generalen, plural indefinite generaler)

  1. general

InflectionEdit

LadinEdit

AdjectiveEdit

general m (feminine singular generala, masculine plural generai, feminine plural generales)

  1. general

Middle EnglishEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From a mixture of Anglo-Norman general, Middle French general, and Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /dʒɛnəˈraːl/, /ˈdʒɛnəral/

AdjectiveEdit

general

  1. universal, complete
  2. comprehensive, wide-ranging
  3. general, widely useable or applicable
  4. common, widely present

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • English: general
  • Scots: general
  • Yola: generale

ReferencesEdit

NounEdit

general (plural generals)

  1. genus, class, group

ReferencesEdit

Norwegian BokmålEdit

NounEdit

general m (definite singular generalen, indefinite plural generaler, definite plural generalene)

  1. (military) a general

Derived termsEdit

Norwegian NynorskEdit

NounEdit

general m (definite singular generalen, indefinite plural generalar, definite plural generalane)

  1. (military) a general

Derived termsEdit

Old FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin generālis.

NounEdit

general m (oblique plural generaus or generax or generals, nominative singular generaus or generax or generals, nominative plural general)

  1. (military) general

AdjectiveEdit

general m (oblique and nominative feminine singular generale)

  1. general (not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category)

DeclensionEdit

DescendantsEdit

PortugueseEdit

EtymologyEdit

Learned borrowing from Latin generālis. Doublet of geral.

PronunciationEdit

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
  • Hyphenation: ge‧ne‧ral

NounEdit

general m (plural generais, feminine generala, feminine plural generalas)

  1. (military) general

DescendantsEdit

Further readingEdit

  • general” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

RomanianEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from French général, from Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

general m (plural generali)

  1. general

DeclensionEdit

AdjectiveEdit

general m or n (feminine singular generală, masculine plural generali, feminine and neuter plural generale)

  1. general

DeclensionEdit

Related termsEdit

Serbo-CroatianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From German General, from Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ɡeněraːl/
  • Hyphenation: ge‧ne‧ral

NounEdit

genèrāl m (Cyrillic spelling генѐра̄л)

  1. (military) general

DeclensionEdit

SloveneEdit

EtymologyEdit

From German General, from Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

generȃl m anim (female equivalent generȃlica or generȃlka)

  1. (military) general

InflectionEdit

Masculine anim., hard o-stem
nom. sing. generál
gen. sing. generála
singular dual plural
nominative
(imenovȃlnik)
generál generála generáli
genitive
(rodȋlnik)
generála generálov generálov
dative
(dajȃlnik)
generálu generáloma generálom
accusative
(tožȋlnik)
generála generála generále
locative
(mẹ̑stnik)
generálu generálih generálih
instrumental
(orọ̑dnik)
generálom generáloma generáli

Further readingEdit

  • general”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran

SpanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /xeneˈɾal/ [xe.neˈɾal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: ge‧ne‧ral

AdjectiveEdit

general (plural generales)

  1. general, overall

Derived termsEdit

NounEdit

general m (plural generales, feminine general or generala, feminine plural generales or generalas)

  1. (military) general

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

Further readingEdit

SwedishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From German General, from Old French general, from Latin generālis.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

general c

  1. a general; a military title[1]
  2. an Air Chief Marshal[1]

DeclensionEdit

Declension of general 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative general generalen generaler generalerna
Genitive generals generalens generalers generalernas

DescendantsEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. 1.0 1.1 Utrikes namnbok (7th ed., 2007) →ISBN