Generalissimo

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌd͡ʒɛnəɹəˈlisimoʊ/

Definitions

1. An individual is designated as the supreme commander of military operations with total authority over armed forces during times of conflict
2. A military leader who holds the ultimate command over all armed forces during wartime
3. The topmost commander entrusted with comprehensive authority over military operations and personnel

Etymology: Italian grammar does the work here. "Generalissimo" is the superlative of "generale" (general), so it means something like "the most general" or "supreme general." The Italian pattern of adding "-issimo" to an adjective to intensify it is the same one that gives "molto" its emphatic cousins, and it is why the title sounds grander than a plain general. English borrowed the form directly from Italian rather than building it from English parts. The word therefore names a rank above ordinary generals, one that exists to command several armies at once or to hold supreme authority over a war effort. Its meaning follows from that grammatical sense: the superlative of "general" is the title for the general who outranks all the others.