The meaning of GENERAL is involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole. How to use general in a sentence.
GENERAL definition: 1. involving or relating to most or all people, things, or places, especially when these are…. Learn more.
GENERAL definition: of or relating to all persons or things belonging to a group or category. See examples of general used in a sentence.
Since the higher ranks of General of the Army and General of the Air Force have been reserved for significant wartime use only (in modern times were recreated for World War II), the rank of general is usually the highest general officer rank in the modern forces.
Synonyms: general, common, universal These adjectives mean belonging to, relating to, or affecting the whole: the general welfare; a common enemy; universal military conscription.
General comes from the French word générale, which means "common to all people," but we use it for more than just people. You might inquire about the general habits of schoolchildren, or the general temperature at night in the desert.
General definition: Concerned with, applicable to, or affecting the whole or every member of a class or category.
At the same time, General is a specific rank, namely the highest existing rank, typically held by the inspector general and at most one or two other generals. The plural is Generale in the Bundeswehr’s official terminology, but more commonly Generäle otherwise.