brigadier

IPA/ˌbrɪɡəˈdɪə(r)/
KK[brˌɪɡədˈɪr]IPA/ˌbrɪɡəˈdɪr/

brigadier — noun

  • brigadiersingular
  • brigadiersplural

1. a senior officer in Britain's army, ranked between colonel and major general and

1.nounC1
Definition

a senior officer in Britain's army, ranked between colonel and major general and often put in charge of a brigade.

Example

After the desert campaign, Arjun was promoted from colonel to brigadier.

promoted from colonel to brigadier

The brigadier briefed the troops before they crossed the damaged bridge.

brigadier + brief troops before an operation

Common collocations
  • promoted to brigadier
  • serve under a brigadier
  • the brigadier said
  • Brigadier Patel
Synonyms
  • officer

    much broader; it does not name this exact rank

  • commander

    focuses on leading troops, not on one fixed place in the rank order

Usage Note

Used mainly in British and Commonwealth military contexts. The rank sits above colonel and below major general; in American usage, the nearest equivalent title is usually brigadier general rather than brigadier.

Common Mistakes

He became a brigadier general in the British army.
He became a brigadier in the British army.
In British usage, the rank itself is brigadier; brigadier general is mainly an American title.

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • promoted to brigadier
  • serve under a brigadier

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Brigadier came into English from French brigadier, a word built from brigade. It first referred to an officer connected with a brigade, and in modern British use it names the rank above colonel and below major general.

First known use

1668

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1