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generalísimo

supreme commander

noun heh-neh-rah-LEE-see-moh Rare

Usage Note

Generalísimo is the absolute superlative of general, formed with the suffix -ísimo, and denotes the highest-ranking military commander, often with near-absolute political power. The title is historically associated with Francisco Franco (el Generalísimo) in Spain, and was also used for Chiang Kai-shek in the Spanish-speaking press. Outside historical contexts it can be used humorously for someone who acts in an authoritarian manner.

Examples

"El generalísimo presidió el desfile militar."

Natural Translation

The supreme commander presided over the military parade.

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