der General
general
An officer of the highest military rank in the army or air force.
EXAMPLE
Der General inspizierte die Truppen vor dem Manöver.
The general inspected the troops before the maneuver.
der General
general
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Meanings
der General
superior general
The highest leader of some Catholic religious orders.
EXAMPLE
Der General der Jesuiten wird auf Lebenszeit gewählt.
The Superior General of the Jesuits is elected for life.
Usage tips
False friend
In German, 'der General' is always a noun for a person, usually in the military. It is not the English adjective 'general', which is 'allgemein' in German.
EXAMPLE
Das ist eine sehr allgemeine Frage.
That is a very general question.
Productive compounds
The word element 'General-' is used in many compounds to express that something is comprehensive or applies to the whole. Examples are 'die Generalprobe' (final rehearsal before the premiere) or 'der Generalverdacht' (general suspicion against everyone).
EXAMPLE
Vor der Premiere findet heute Abend die Generalprobe statt.
The dress rehearsal takes place this evening before the premiere.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether the military leader or the religious leader is meant. Words like 'Armee' (army), 'Truppen' (troops), or 'Verteidigungsministerium' (Ministry of Defense) point to the military, while 'Orden' (religious order), 'Jesuiten' (Jesuits), or 'Kloster' (monastery) point to the religious meaning.
EXAMPLE
Der General besuchte die Soldaten an der Front.
The general visited the soldiers at the front.
In real life
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