general

Meanings

Adjective

• Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole etc.; as opposed to specific or particular.
• 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.
• Prevalent or widespread among a given class or area; common, usual.
• Not limited in use or application; applicable to the whole or every member of a class or category.
• Giving or consisting of only the most important aspects of something, ignoring minor details; indefinite.
• Not limited to a specific class; miscellaneous, concerned with all branches of a given subject or area.

Noun

• A general fact or proposition; a generality.
• 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.
• A great strategist or tactician.
• The head of certain religious orders, especially Dominicans or Jesuits.
• A commander of naval forces; an admiral.
• A general servant; a maid with no specific duties.
• A general anesthetic.
• General anesthesia.
• The general insurance industry.

Verb

• To lead (soldiers) as a general.

Adverb

• In a general or collective manner or sense; in most cases; upon the whole.

Related

Opposite words

• abnormal, uncommon

Origin

• From Middle English general, in turn from Anglo-Norman general, generall, Middle French general, and their source, Latin generālis, from genus + -ālis.