Admiral vs. General — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 16, 2023
An Admiral is a senior naval officer, while a General is a senior army officer. Both are high-ranking officers in the military, but they serve in different branches.
Difference Between Admiral and General
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
An Admiral is typically found in the navy, leading naval fleets and overseeing naval operations. In contrast, a General is an officer in the army, responsible for large groups of soldiers and army-related operations. The significance of the Admiral in the navy can be compared to that of a General in the army, signifying leadership, authority, and responsibility.
Both these titles have variations based on their exact rank. For instance, there are Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals, while in the army, there are ranks like Major General and Lieutenant General.
Ultimately, the presence of an Admiral or a General denotes a high level of trust and responsibility bestowed upon an individual by the military institution.
Comparison Chart
Branch
Navy
Army
Terrain
Sea
Land
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Typical Commands
Fleets, naval bases
Divisions, army bases
Symbolic Color
Navy blue
Army green
Rank Variations
Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral
Major General, Lieutenant General
Compare with Definitions
Admiral
A naval officer ranking above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral.
The Admiral was next in line for promotion to fleet admiral.
General
A high-ranking officer in the army.
The General's decision turned the tide of the battle.
Admiral
A title conferred by certain nations to distinguished seafarers.
He was honored as an Admiral for his decades of maritime service.
General
An officer ranking above a lieutenant general and below a general of the army or field marshal.
The General had decades of experience leading troops.
Admiral
A senior naval officer of flag rank.
The duties of an Admiral are vast and require strategic insight.
General
Denoting a broad concept without specification.
The General idea is to focus on quality over quantity.
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, or fleet admiral.
General
Common to or affecting the entire group or class.
It's a General rule to always respect one's elders.
Admiral
The most senior commander of a fleet or navy.
General
Affecting or concerning all or most people or things; widespread
Books of general interest
The general opinion was that prices would fall
Admiral
A butterfly which has dark wings with bold red or white markings.
General
Considering or including only the main features or elements of something; not exact or detailed
The arrangements were outlined in very general terms
A general introduction to the subject
Admiral
The commander in chief of a fleet.
General
Chief or principal
The general manager
The Director General of the BBC
Admiral
A flag officer.
General
A commander of an army, or an army officer of very high rank.
Admiral
A commissioned rank in the US Navy or Coast Guard that is above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral.
General
The general public.
Admiral
One who holds the rank of admiral, Fleet Admiral, rear admiral, or vice admiral.
General
Concerned with, applicable to, or affecting the whole or every member of a class or category
"subduing all her impressions as a woman, to something more general" (Virginia Woolf).
Admiral
Any of various brightly colored nymphalid butterflies of the genera Limenitis and Vanessa, especially V. atalanta, having black wings with red bands.
General
Affecting or characteristic of the majority of those involved; prevalent
General discontent.
Admiral
(Archaic) The ship carrying an admiral; flagship.
General
Of or affecting the entire body
General paralysis.
Admiral
A naval officer of the highest rank; the commander of a country's naval forces.
General
Being usually the case; true or applicable in most instances but not all
The general correctness of her decisions.
Admiral
A naval officer of high rank, immediately below Admiral of the Fleet; the commander of a fleet or squadron.
General
Not limited in scope, area, or application
As a general rule.
Admiral
A flag officer in the United States Navy or Coast Guard of a grade superior to vice admiral and junior to admiral of the fleet (when that grade is used). An admiral is equal in grade or rank to a four-star general.
General
Not limited to or dealing with one class of things; diversified
General studies.
Admiral
The ship which carries the admiral, the flagship; also, the most considerable ship of a fleet.
General
Involving only the main features rather than precise details
A general grasp of the subject.
Admiral
(obsolete) A prince or Saracen leader under the Sultan.
General
Highest or superior in rank
The general manager.
Admiral
Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genera Kaniska, Limenitis and Vanessa, especially a red admiral or white admiral.
General
A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above lieutenant general.
Admiral
A naval officer of the highest rank; a naval officer of high rank, of which there are different grades. The chief gradations in rank are admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral. The admiral is the commander in chief of a fleet or of fleets.
General
One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
Admiral
The ship which carries the admiral; also, the most considerable ship of a fleet.
Like some mighty admiral, dark and terrible, bearing down upon his antagonist with all his canvas straining to the wind, and all his thunders roaring from his broadsides.
General
A general officer.
Admiral
A handsome butterfly (Pyrameis Atalanta) of Europe and America. The larva feeds on nettles.
General
A statement, principle, or fact that embraces or is applicable to the whole.
Admiral
The supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral
General
General anesthesia.
Admiral
Any of several brightly colored butterflies
General
(Archaic) The public.
Admiral
A high-ranking officer in the navy.
The Admiral commanded respect from every sailor on board.
General
Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to specific or particular.
Admiral
The commander of a fleet or naval squadron.
The Admiral devised a strategy to navigate through the storm.
General
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.
General
Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.
General
Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category.
General
Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
General
Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area.
General
A general fact or proposition; a generality.
We have dealt with the generals; now let us turn to the particulars.
General
(military ranks) 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.
General
A great strategist or tactician.
Hannibal was one of the greatest generals of the ancient world.
General
(Christianity) The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits.
General
(nautical) A commander of naval forces; an admiral.
General
A general servant; a maid with no specific duties.
General
(countable) A general anesthetic.
General
(uncountable) General anesthesia.
General
The general insurance industry.
I work in general.
General
(xiangqi) A xiangqi piece, that is moved one point orthogonally and confined within the palace.
General
To lead (soldiers) as a general.
General
(obsolete) In a general or collective manner or sense; in most cases; upon the whole.
General
Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.
General
Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.
General
Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.
General
Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.
This general applause and cheerful shoutArgue your wisdom and your love to Richard.
General
Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire.
General
As a whole; in gross; for the most part.
His general behavior vain, ridiculous.
General
Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.
General
The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; - opposed to particular.
In particulars our knowledge begins, and so spreads itself by degrees to generals.
General
One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest military rank next below field marshal.
General
The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general.
General
The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule.
General
The public; the people; the vulgar.
General
A general officer of the highest rank
General
The head of a religious order or congregation
General
A fact about the whole (as opposed to particular);
He discussed the general but neglected the particular
He always reasons from the particular to the general
General
Command as a general;
We are generaled by an incompetent!
General
Applying to all or most members of a category or group;
The general public
General assistance
A general rule
In general terms
Comprehensible to the general reader
General
Not specialized or limited to one class of things;
General studies
General knowledge
General
Of national scope;
A general election
General
Prevailing among and common to the general public;
The general discontent
General
Affecting the entire body;
A general anesthetic
General symptoms
General
Somewhat indefinite;
Bearing a general resemblance to the original
A general description of the merchandise
General
Of worldwide scope or applicability;
An issue of cosmopolitan import
The shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time
Universal experience
General
The commander of an army division or larger formation.
Under the General's guidance, the division excelled in its operations.
Common Curiosities
What branch of the military is an Admiral associated with?
An Admiral is associated with the navy.
Do both Admiral and General signify leadership?
Yes, both Admiral and General are high-ranking officers denoting leadership in their respective branches.
Can the term General also be used in non-military contexts?
Yes, "General" can also refer to something broad or common, not specific to the military.
Which rank typically commands larger formations, an Admiral or a General?
Both can command large formations, but it's fleet for an Admiral and army divisions or corps for a General.
Is there a rank above Admiral in the navy?
Yes, in some navies, there's a rank like "fleet admiral" which is above Admiral.
Are there variations to the rank of Admiral?
Yes, there are ranks like Rear Admiral and Vice Admiral below a full Admiral.
And a General?
A General is associated with the army.
Do all countries have the ranks of Admiral and General?
Most countries have equivalents, but the exact titles and responsibilities can vary.
What about above General in the army?
Yes, ranks like "general of the army" or "field marshal" might be above General in some armies.
And for General?
Yes, there are variations like Major General and Lieutenant General below a full General.
What's the typical color associated with an Admiral's uniform?
Navy blue is typically associated with an Admiral's uniform.
Which rank is more senior, Rear Admiral or Vice Admiral?
Vice Admiral is more senior than Rear Admiral.
How about between Major General and Lieutenant General?
Lieutenant General is more senior than Major General.
And for a General?
Army green is typically associated with a General's uniform.
Can one transition from an Admiral to a General, or vice versa?
Typically no, as they are distinct career paths in different military branches.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
