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An admiral is a very high rank in the navy — in Britain, the United States, and many other countries — or a person who holds that rank. They sit near the top of the sea force, above captains, and they may command a large group of ships.
an admiral 海軍上將 is a very high rank in the navy 是海軍裡很高的一個軍階 — in Britain, the United States, and many other countries 在英國、美國，還有很多其他國家都是 — or a person who holds that rank 或是指擁有這個軍階的人。above captains 在艦長之上 they sit near the top of the sea force 他們位在海軍高層附近，and they may command a large group of ships 而且可能指揮一大批船艦
It is a title you hear in news, history, and war films; civilians almost never need it in daily talk.
in news, history, and war films 在新聞、歷史，和戰爭電影裡 it is a title you hear 這是你會聽到的頭銜；civilians almost never need it in daily talk 一般老百姓在日常對話裡幾乎用不到
In the army the matching idea is closer to general, not admiral: admiral is the sea rank.
in the army the matching idea is closer to general, not admiral 在陸軍裡，對應的概念比較接近 general（將軍），不是 admiral：admiral is the sea rank admiral 是海軍的軍階
People sometimes use it loosely or as a joke for someone who “commands” a lot of boats, but the real meaning is the navy rank. (A few butterflies are also named admiral, from old naval flags — that is a different, smaller use.)
for someone who 'commands' a lot of boats 對某個「指揮」很多船的人 people sometimes use it loosely or as a joke 大家有時候會鬆散地或開玩笑地這樣用，but the real meaning is the navy rank 但真正的意思是那個海軍軍階。(from old naval flags 從古老的海軍旗幟而來 a few butterflies are also named admiral 有幾種蝴蝶也叫做 admiral — that is a different, smaller use 那是另外一個比較小眾的用法。)
組成From Middle English admiral, from Old French admiral, from Medieval Latin admiralis, an irregular reshaping of Arabic ʔamīr (“commander”) + Latin -ālis. The spelling was pulled toward Latin admiror (“to admire”), but that admire-link is influence on the form, not the real root.
原始詞典資料10 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
admiralnoun/ˈædməɹəl/
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informalgovernmentmilitarypoliticsThe commander of a naval squadron or fleet, regardless of formal rank.
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governmentmilitarypoliticsThe appointed commander of a navy, regardless of formal title.
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governmentmilitarypoliticsA high rank in the British and American Navies, NATO grade OF-9, equivalent ranks in other navies, in coast guards, etc.
- ... from my experience in Ours as well as from my former intimacy with many Officers of Note in the British Navy, I am convinced that the Parity of Rank between Sea & land or Marine Officers, is of more consequence to the harmony of the Service, than hath generally been imagined. — in the British Establishment — an Admiral ranks with a Genl a Vice Admiral with a Lieut Genl a Rear Admiral with a Major Genl a Commodore with a Brigadier Genl — a Captain with a Colonel, a master & Commander with a Lieut Colnel — a Lieut. Commanding with a Major, and a Lieutenant in the Navy Ranks with a Captain of Horse, Foot or Marines. — I propose not our Enemies as an Example for our Genl imitation — Yet as their Navy is the best regulated of any in the World, we must in Some degree imitate them and Aim at such further improvement as may one day make ours Vie with and Exceed theirs.
- He has appealed to the navies of Europe to prove, that we ought to have Admirals; then, of course he is willing, or at least ought to be so, to let their rules govern in promoting to that grade. The general principle which governs the navies of the old world is... when the Post is attained, then promotion is by inheritance... If a Post Captain in the English navy lives long enough, he is certain of being an Admiral, though not before he is sixty years of age... Hence it is manifest that the public interest no more requires the new grade of Admiral to be added to the navy, than it does the bestowing of orders of nobility on all the diplomatic agents, who represent the United States at the different courts of Europe.
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The commander of a fishing or merchant fleet, particularly (historical, Canada) a captain granted special privileges in exchange for bringing the first ship of a given fishing season to certain harbors in Newfoundland.
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Any of several species of nymphalid butterflies of the genera Kaniska, Limenitis and Vanessa.
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biologyconchologynatural-sciencesThe shell of the Conus ammiralis; the cone shells of various other species displaying similarly intricate banding.
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historicalSynonym of flagship: an admiral's ship in a fleet, the command or largest ship in a naval or commercial fleet.
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historicalSynonym of emir, a Muslim commander or prince.
- The Saracen admiral, Balán... held court in the Castillo de Aguas Muertas...
另外 1 個記錄的用法
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obsoleteAny of several varieties of pear, the trees which produce them.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。