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Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral. The term derives from the French contre-amiral.[1] Depending on the country, it is either a one-star or two-star rank.
In modern navies that use it, counter admiral is generally, although not always, the lowest flag officer rank. In the German Navy, for instance, Flottillenadmiral ranks below Konteradmiral; in the Royal Canadian Navy, contre-amiral (rear admiral in English) ranks above commodore.
- ^ "counter-admiral". Oxford English Dictionary (Second ed.). 1989. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
The only known use of the noun counter-admiral is in the late 1700s. OED's only evidence for counter-admiral is from around 1789–96, in the writing of Jedidiah Morse, geographer and clergyman. counter-admiral is a borrowing from French. Etymons: French contre-amiral.