general

See also: General, général, generál, generał, and general-

English

Alternative forms

• General, gen., gen, Gen., Gen, genl, gen'l, Genl, Gen'l
• generall (obsolete)

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US, Canada) enPR: jĕnʹ(ə)rəl, IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛn.(ə.)ɹəl/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒen.(ə.)ɹəl/
• Hyphenation: gene‧ral, (chiefly US) gen‧er‧al
• Rhymes: (US) -ɛnəɹəl

Adjective

general (comparative more general, superlative most general)

1. Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole, etc.; common to all, universal. [from 13th c.]

   Synonyms: common, universal; see also Thesaurus:generic

   Antonyms: specific, particular; see also Thesaurus:specific

   • c. 1495, John Skelton, "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, Douglas Jerrold, “Mr Peppersorn ‘At Home’”, in Cakes and Ale:

     "Among us!" was the general shout, and Peppersorn sat frozen to his chair.

   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XLVI, page 69:

     That each, who seems a separate whole,
     Should move his rounds, and fusing all
     The skirts of self again, should fall
     Remerging in the general Soul,
     Is faith as vague as all unsweet: […]

   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, “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, Ruth Sutherland, “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, Edward Cust, Lives of the Warriors of the Thirty Years War, page 527:

     For these successes he obtained the rank of Field-Marshal General.

   • 2002, James Turner, 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.]

   Synonyms: typical, usual, common; see also Thesaurus:common

   Antonyms: abnormal, uncommon

   • 1817, Sir Walter Scott, 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, John Patterson, “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 across a broad range. [from 14th c.]

   Synonyms: broad, generic; see also Thesaurus:generic

   • 1924 March 17, Time:

     M. Venizelos went to Athens from Paris early last January in response to a general invitation from the Greek populace.

   • 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.

   • 2009, Douglas P. Zipes, 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, Sir Walter Scott, 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.

   • 1941, W Somerset Maugham, 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.

   • 2006 July 16, Kevin Nance, “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, Robert P. Maloney, “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 of a specific class; miscellaneous. [from 16th c.]

   general goods

   • 2007, Alan Cheuse, “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 […] .

Translations

involving every part or member, not specific or particular

• Albanian: përgjithshëm (sq)
• Arabic: عَامّ (ʕāmm)
• Armenian: ընդհանուր (hy) (əndhanur)
• Asturian: xeneral
• Bashkir: дөйөм (döyöm)
• Belarusian: агу́льны (be) m (ahúlʹny)
• Breton: hollek (br)
• Bulgarian: общ (bg) (obšt), всео́бщ (bg) (vseóbšt)
• Catalan: general (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 一般 (zh) (yībān), 普通 (zh) (pǔtōng)

• Czech: všeobecný (cs), obecný (cs)
• Danish: generel, almindelig (da)
• Dutch: algemeen (nl)
• Esperanto: ĝenerala (eo)
• Estonian: üldine
• Extremaduran: heneral
• Finnish: yleinen (fi)
• French: général (fr), communal (fr)
• Galician: xeral (gl)
• Georgian: ზოგადი (zogadi)
• German: allgemein (de), generell (de)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Hungarian: általános (hu)
• Ido: generala (io)
• Indonesian: menyeluruh (id), umum (id)
• Japanese: 一般 (ja) (いっぱん, ippan), 全般 (ja) (ぜんぱん, zenpan), 普通 (ja) (ふつう, futsū)
• Latin: generālis (la)
• Latvian: vispārējs
• Lithuanian: bendras (lt)
• Macedonian: општ m (opšt)
• Malay: umum (ms), am (ms)
• Maori: whānui, matawhānui, tauwhānui
• Marathi: साधारण (sādhāraṇ)
• Norwegian: allmenn (no), generell (no)
• Old English: ġemǣne
• Polish: ogólny (pl)
• Portuguese: geral (pt)
• Romanian: general (ro) m, comun (ro) m
• Russian: о́бщий (ru) (óbščij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: опћѐнит, све̏опћӣ, на́челан

  Roman: općènit, svȅopćī, náčelan (sh)

• Slovak: všeobecný
• Slovene: splošen (sl)
• Spanish: general (es)
• Swahili: jumla (sw)
• Swedish: generell (sv), allmän (sv)
• Ukrainian: зага́льний (uk) (zahálʹnyj)
• Volapük: valemik (vo)
• Zazaki: deg, degme

of a person: pre-eminent

• French: général (fr), en chef (fr)
• Georgian: მნიშვნელოვანი (mnišvnelovani), გენერალური (generaluri)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Malay: awam (ms)
• Portuguese: general (pt) m
• Tagalog: (literally) heneral c
• Ukrainian: генера́льний (henerálʹnyj)

widespread, common

• Dutch: algemeen (nl), wijdverspreid (nl)
• Esperanto: ĝenerala (eo)
• French: général (fr), universal (fr)
• Georgian: ზოგადი (zogadi), გავრცელებული (gavrcelebuli)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Hindi: सामान्य (hi) (sāmānya)
• Indonesian: umum (id)
• Maori: tukipū, arowhānui
• Marathi: साधारण (sādhāraṇ)
• Norwegian: allminnelig, vanlig (no)
• Portuguese: geral (pt)
• Swedish: vanlig (sv), allmän (sv), generell (sv)

not limited in application; applicable to a whole class or category

• Arabic: عُمُومِيّ (ʕumūmiyy), عَامّ (ʕāmm)
• Bashkir: дөйөм (döyöm)
• Belarusian: агу́льны (be) (ahúlʹny), генера́льны (hjenjerálʹny), генэра́льны (hjenerálʹny)
• Bulgarian: генера́лен (bg) (generálen)
• Catalan: general (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 一般 (zh) (yībān), 普通 (zh) (pǔtōng), 總／总 (zh) (zǒng), 通用 (zh) (tōngyòng)

• Czech: obecný (cs) m
• Danish: almen, generel
• Dutch: algemeen (nl)
• Finnish: yleis-
• French: général (fr)
• Georgian: ზოგადი (zogadi), საერთო (saerto), გენერალური (generaluri)
• German: allgemein (de)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Indonesian: menyeluruh (id), umum (id)
• Japanese: 一般的 (ja) (ippanteki)
• Latin: generālis (la)
• Latvian: vispārīgs
• Macedonian: општ m (opšt), генера́лен m (generálen)
• Malay: umum (ms), am (ms)
• Maori: ahuwhānui
• Norwegian: generell (no)
• Portuguese: geral (pt)
• Russian: о́бщий (ru) (óbščij), генера́льный (ru) (generálʹnyj), всео́бщий (ru) (vseóbščij)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: свеобу̀хватан, о̏пћӣ

  Roman: sveobùhvatan (sh), ȍpćī

• Slovak: všeobecný
• Slovene: splošen (sl)
• Swahili: majenerali (sw)
• Swedish: allmän (sv)
• Ukrainian: зага́льний (uk) (zahálʹnyj), генера́льний (henerálʹnyj)

consisting of only the most important aspects; indefinite

• Bulgarian: гла́вен (bg) (gláven)
• French: d’ensemble (fr)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Indonesian: umum (id)
• Portuguese: generalizado (pt)

miscellaneous, not limited to a specific class

• Bashkir: дөйөм (döyöm)
• Bulgarian: общ (bg) (obšt)
• Burmese: အထွေထွေ (my) (a.htwehtwe)
• French: général (fr)
• Greek: γενικός (el) m (genikós)
• Indonesian: umum (id)
• Russian: о́бщий (ru) (óbščij)
• Swedish: allmän (sv), generell (sv)

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

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} ĝenerala (eo)
• Estonian: ^{(please verify)} üldine
• French: ^{(please verify)} général (fr) m, ^{(please verify)} générale (fr) f
• Hebrew: ^{(please verify)} כְּלָלִי (he) m (klali) , ^{(please verify)} כְּלָלִית f (klalit)
• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} umum (id)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} generale (it) m or f
• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 일반 (ko) (ilban)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} giştî (ku), ^{(please verify)} tevayî (ku), ^{(please verify)} amî (ku), ^{(please verify)} umûmî (ku), ^{(please verify)} pirranî (ku)

• Latin: ^{(please verify)} generalis (la)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ^{(please verify)} генерални m, ^{(please verify)} о̏пштӣ m

  Roman: ^{(please verify)} generalni (sh) m, ^{(please verify)} ȍpštī (sh) m

• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} general (es)
• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} genel (tr)

Noun

general (countable and uncountable, plural generals)

1. (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.]
2. A great strategist or tactician. [from 16th c.]

   Hannibal was one of the greatest generals of the ancient world.

3. (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.

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.]
   • 1918 March, Rebecca West [pseudonym; Cicily Isabel Fairfield], chapter I, in The Return of the Soldier, 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 18:

     My general is sister to your second housemaid.

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 notes

When used as a title, it is always capitalized, as in “General John Doe”.

Hyponyms

(high-ranking military officer):

• brigadier general
• colonel general
• general of the air force
• general of the army
• lieutenant general
• major general
• sergeant major general, sergeant-major general

Coordinate terms

• (insurance industry): health, life, pensions

Translations

military rank

• Albanian: gjeneral (sq) m
• Arabic: جِنِرال (jinirāl); لِوَاء (ar) m (liwāʔ)

  Egyptian Arabic: لواء m (lewa)

• Armenian: զորավար (hy) (zoravar), գեներալ (hy) (general)
• Azerbaijani: general (az), sərtib (obsolete)

  South Azerbaijani: سرتیب (sartib)

• Belarusian: генера́л m (hjenjerál), ваенача́льнік m (vajenačálʹnik), палкаво́дзец m (palkavódzjec), генэра́л m (hjenerál)
• Bulgarian: генера́л (bg) m (generál)
• Burmese: ဗိုလ်ချုပ်ကြီး (my) (builhkyupkri:)
• Catalan: general (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 將軍／将军 (zh) (jiāngjūn), 將帥／将帅 (zh) (jiàngshuài)

• Czech: generál (cs) m
• Danish: general c
• Dutch: generaal (nl) m
• Egyptian: (jmj-r-mšꜥ)
• Esperanto: generalo
• Estonian: kindral
• Finnish: kenraali (fi)
• French: général (fr) m
• Galician: xeneral (gl) m
• Georgian: გენერალი (generali)
• German: General (de) m
• Greek: στρατηγός (el) (stratigós), πτέραρχος (el) (ptérarchos) (airforce)

  Aeolic: στρόταγος m (strótagos)

  Ancient: στρατηγός m (stratēgós)

• Hebrew: גֶּנֶרָל (he) m (general)
• Hindi: जनरल (hi) m (janral)
• Hungarian: generális (hu), tábornok (hu)
• Indonesian: jenderal (id)
• Italian: generale (it) m
• Japanese: 大将 (ja) (たいしょう, taishō), 将軍 (ja) (しょうぐん, shōgun)
• Karachay-Balkar: инарал (inaral)
• Kazakh: генерал (general)
• Khmer: ផ្កាយ (km) (phkaay), ព្រះពលទេពសេនាបតី (prĕəh pŭəl teep seenaa), ឧត្តមសេនីយ (utdɑm seeniiy), នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍ (km) (néayʼŏttâmôséniy៍), នាយឧត្តមនាវី (néayʼŏttâmônéavi), សេនាឯក (séʼénéak), មេទ័ព (meitŏəp)
• Korean: 장군(將軍) (ko) (janggun), 대장(大將) (ko) (daejang)
• Kyrgyz: генерал (ky) (general)
• Lao: ພົນເອກ (lo) (phon ʼēk)
• Latin: imperator (la) m, dux (la) m
• Latvian: ģenerālis m
• Lithuanian: generolas m
• Macedonian: генера́л m (generál)
• Malay: jeneral
• Maori: tianara
• Marathi: सेनापती m (senāptī), जनरल m (janral)
• Mongolian:

  Cyrillic: генерал (mn) (general)

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: general (no) m

  Nynorsk: general m

• Old English: heretoga m
• Ottoman Turkish: پاشا (paşa)
• Persian: ژنرال (fa) (ženerâl)
• Polish: generał (pl) m
• Portuguese: general (pt) m
• Romanian: general (ro) m
• Russian: военача́льник (ru) m (vojenačálʹnik), полково́дец (ru) m (polkovódec), генера́л (ru) m (generál)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ђенѐра̄л m

  Roman: đenèrāl (sh) m

• Slovak: generál (sk) m
• Slovene: general (sl) m
• Spanish: general (es) m
• Swahili: jenerali (sw)
• Swedish: härförare (sv) c, general (sv) c
• Tagalog: heneral
• Tajik: генерал (general)
• Thai: พลเอก (th) (pon-èek)
• Tibetan: དམག་སྤྱི (dmag spyi)
• Turkish: general (tr)
• Turkmen: general
• Ukrainian: полково́дець m (polkovódecʹ), генера́л m (henerál), воєнача́льник m (vojenačálʹnyk)
• Urum: yeral
• Uzbek: general (uz)
• Vietnamese: tướng quân (vi) (将軍)
• Yakut: ньадыраал (nyadıraal)
• Yiddish: גענעראַל m (general), גענעראַלשע f (generalshe)
• Zazaki: general

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

Translations to be checked

• Estonian: ^{(please verify)} kindral
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} generale (it) m
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} jeneral (ku), ^{(please verify)} ceneral (ku), ^{(please verify)} general (ku)

• Lithuanian: (1) ^{(please verify)} generolas m
• Norwegian: ^{(please verify)} general (no)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ^{(please verify)} генѐра̄л m

  Roman: ^{(please verify)} genèrāl (sh) m

• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} general (tr)

See also

• hetman

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

Verb

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.

Adverb

general (not comparable)

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

Derived terms

terms derived from all parts of speech

• abbot general
• accountant general
• adjutant general
• adjutant-general
• advocate general
• agent general
• annual general meeting
• artificial general intelligence
• attorney-general
• attorney general
• bond for general purposes
• brigadier general
• buck general
• captain general
• caviar to the general
• colonel general
• commanding general
• commissary general
• consulate general
• consul general
• consul-general
• director general
• director-general
• dynamic stochastic general equilibrium
• extraordinary general meeting
• farmer-general
• floor general
• general anaesthesia
• general anaesthetic
• general assembly
• general availability
• general aviation
• general cargo
• general classification
• general continued fraction
• general contractor
• general creditor
• general delivery
• general education
• general election
• general equilibrium
• general formula
• general goods
• general hospital
• general-in-chief
• general insurer
• general intelligent action
• generalisation, generalization
• generalise, generalize
• general issue
• generality
• general knowledge
• general ledger
• general line
• general linear group
• generally
• general manager
• general office
• general officer
• general paralysis
• general paralysis of the insane
• general paresis
• general paresis of the insane
• general partnership
• general population
• general practice
• general practitioner
• general public
• general-purpose
• general quarters
• general relativity
• general retainer
• general secretary
• general semantics
• general staff
• general store
• general strike
• general studies
• general surgery
• general warrant
• gold general
• governor-general, governor general
• heir general
• in general
• inspector general
• lieutenant general
• major general
• major-general
• out-general
• paper general
• postmaster general
• procurator-general
• receiver-general
• registrar-general
• secretary general
• secretary-general
• sergeant major general, sergeant-major general
• silver general
• solicitor general
• surgeon general
• surgeon-general
• surveyor general
• vicar-general
• witchfinder general

 

Anagrams

• enlarge, gleaner, reangle

Azerbaijani

Alternative forms

• yaranal (archaic)

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

general (definite accusative generalı, plural generallar)

1. general

Declension

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 reading

• “general” in Obastan.com.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ʒə.nəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencian) [d͡ʒe.neˈɾal]

Adjective

general m or f (masculine and feminine plural generals)

1. general

Noun

general m (plural generals, feminine generala)

1. (military) general

Derived terms

• generalitat
• generalitzar
• generalment
• vaga general

 

Further reading

• “general” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “general”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “general” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “general” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Danish

Noun

general c (singular definite generalen, plural indefinite generaler)

1. general

Inflection

Declension of general

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	general	generalen	generaler	generalerne
genitive	generals	generalens	generalers	generalernes

Ladin

Adjective

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

1. general

Middle English

Alternative forms

• generall, generale

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

general

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

Derived terms

• generally

Descendants

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

References

• “ǧenerāl, adj. & n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-01.

Noun

general (plural generals)

1. genus, class, group

References

• “ǧenerāl, adj. & n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-01.

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

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

1. (military) a general

Derived terms

• generalguvernør

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

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

1. (military) a general

Derived terms

• generalguvernør

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin generālis.

Noun

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

1. (military) general

Adjective

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)

Declension

Declension of general

Number	Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	Subject	generals, generaus, generax	generale	general
	Oblique	general			generale	general
Plural	Subject	general	generales		general
	Oblique	generals, generaus, generax			generales	general

Descendants

• → English: general
• French: général

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin generālis. Doublet of geral.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʒe.neˈɾaw/ [ʒe.neˈɾaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨ.nɨˈɾal/ [ʒɨ.nɨˈɾaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨ.nɨˈɾal/ [ʒɨ.nɨˈɾaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨ.nɨˈɾa.li/

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

Adjective

general m or f (plural generais)

1. (military) general (said of the subcategory of armed forces officer with a rank above that of senior officer)
2. (military) general (said of the military with this subcategory)
3. (obsolete) general (including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole)

Noun

general m (plural generais)

1. (military) general (highest rank in the category of Army and Air Force officers, whose insignia consists of four stars)
2. (figuratively) chief, leader

Noun

general m or f by sense (plural generais)

1. (military) general (officer holding that post)
2. (military) general (designation common to military personnel holding the ranks of general, lieutenant general and major general)

Descendants

• → Tetum: jenerál

Further reading

• “general” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.
• “general” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French général, from Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒe.neˈral/

Noun

general m (plural generali)

1. general

Declension

Declension of general

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) general	generalul	(niște) generali	generalii
genitive/dative	(unui) general	generalului	(unor) generali	generalilor
vocative	generalule		generalilor

Adjective

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

1. general

Declension

Declension of general

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	general		generală	generali	generale
	definite	generalul		generala	generalii	generalele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	general		generale	generali	generale
	definite	generalului		generalei	generalilor	generalelor

Related terms

• generalism
• generalitate
• generaliza

 

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from German General, from Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

genèrāl m (Cyrillic spelling генѐра̄л)

1. (military) general

Declension

Declension of general

	singular	plural
nominative	genèrāl	generali
genitive	generála	generala
dative	generalu	generalima
accusative	generala	generale
vocative	generale	generali
locative	generalu	generalima
instrumental	generalom	generalima

Slovene

Etymology

From German General, from Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɛnɛráːl/

Noun

generȃl m anim (female equivalent generȃlica or generȃlka)

1. (military) general

Inflection

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

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 reading

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

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin generālis.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

general m or f (masculine and feminine plural generales)

1. general, overall

Derived terms

• anestesia general
• capitán general
• capitanía general
• comisario general de cruzada
• concilio general
• consulado general
• Cortes Generales
• cuartel general
• cultura general
• dirección general
• en general
• en líneas generales
• ensayo general
• equilibrio general dinámico estocástico
• estado general
• estudio general
• gastos generales
• generales de la ley
• generalidad
• generalización
• generalizar
• generalmente
• gobernador general
• huelga general
• inquisidor general
• maestre de campo general
• plano general
• por lo general
• por punto general
• por regla general
• procurador síndico general
• relatividad general
• sargento general de batalla
• teniente general
• vicario general
• visión general
• voluntad general

 

Noun

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

1. (military) general

Noun

general f (plural generales)

1. (informal, in the plural) general elections
   • 2003 July 12, fernando, “CON ZAPATERO PERDEMOS LAS GENERALES [WITH ZAPATERO WE LOSE THE GENERAL ELECTIONS]”, in soc.culture.spain‎^[1] (Usenet):

Derived terms

• general de la caballería
• general de la frontera
• general de las galeras
• general en jefe

 

Descendants

• → Cebuano: heneral
• → Tagalog: heneral

Further reading

• “general”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Swedish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɛn(ɛ)ˈrɑːl/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

general c

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

Declension

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

Descendants

• → Finnish: kenraali