General officer

General officer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The definition of "general" is used in two ways: as the generic title for all grades of general officer and as a specific rank. It originates in the 16th century, as a shortening of captain general, which rank was taken from Middle French capitaine général. The adjective general had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction.

Today, the title of "General" is a four-star rank (OF-9) and is usually granted to the heads of the Armed Forces in most countries.