Captain vs. General — What's the Difference?

The officer in command of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

Affecting or concerning all or most people or things; widespread

A precinct commander in a police or fire department, usually ranking above a lieutenant and below a chief.

Considering or including only the main features or elements of something; not exact or detailed

The designated leader of a team or crew in sports.

Chief or principal

A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above first lieutenant and below major.

A commander of an army, or an army officer of very high rank.

One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

The general public.

A commissioned rank in the US Navy or Coast Guard that is above commander and below rear admiral.

Concerned with, applicable to, or affecting the whole or every member of a class or category

One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

Affecting or characteristic of the majority of those involved; prevalent

A figure in the forefront; a leader

Of or affecting the entire body

A district official for a political party.

Being usually the case; true or applicable in most instances but not all

A restaurant employee who is in charge of the waiters and usually attends to table seating.

Not limited in scope, area, or application

A bell captain.

Not limited to or dealing with one class of things; diversified

To act as captain of; command or direct

Involving only the main features rather than precise details

A chief or leader.

Highest or superior in rank

The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.

A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above lieutenant general.

An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.

One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.

A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.

A general officer.

A commissioned officer in the United States Navy, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps, or PHS Corps of a grade superior to a commander and junior to a rear admiral (lower half). A captain is equal in grade or rank to a United States Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.

A statement, principle, or fact that embraces or is applicable to the whole.

One of the athletes on a sports team who is designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.

General anesthesia.

The leader of a group of workers.

(Archaic) The public.

The head boy of a school.

Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to specific or particular.

A maître d', a headwaiter.

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.

(southern US) An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.

(intransitive) To act as captain

Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category.

(transitive) To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.

A head, or chief officer

Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area.

A military leader; a warrior.

A general fact or proposition; a generality.

To act as captain of; to lead.

(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.

Chief; superior.

A great strategist or tactician.

An officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

(Christianity) The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits.

The naval officer in command of a military ship

(nautical) A commander of naval forces; an admiral.

A policeman in charge of a precinct

A general servant; a maid with no specific duties.

An officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship

(countable) A general anesthetic.

The leader of a group of people;

(uncountable) General anesthesia.

The pilot ins charge of an airship

The general insurance industry.

A diningroom attendant who is in charge of the waiters and the seating of customers

(xiangqi) A xiangqi piece, that is moved one point orthogonally and confined within the palace.

Be the captain of a sports team

To lead (soldiers) as a general.

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

Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.

Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.

Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.

Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.

Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire.

As a whole; in gross; for the most part.

Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.

The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; - opposed to particular.

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.

The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general.

The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule.

The public; the people; the vulgar.

A general officer of the highest rank

The head of a religious order or congregation

A fact about the whole (as opposed to particular);

Command as a general;

Applying to all or most members of a category or group;

Not specialized or limited to one class of things;

Of national scope;

Prevailing among and common to the general public;

Affecting the entire body;

Somewhat indefinite;

Of worldwide scope or applicability;