What is "captain general"

Captain \Cap"tain\ (k[a^]p"t[i^]n), n. [OE. capitain, captain, OF. capitain, F. capitaine (cf. Sp. capitan, It. capitano), LL. capitaneus, capitanus, fr. L. caput the head. See under Chief, and cf. Chieftain.]

1. A head, or chief officer; as:

   1. The military officer who commands a company, troop, or battery, or who has the rank entitling him to do so though he may be employed on other service.

   2. An officer in the United States navy, next above a commander and below a commodore, and ranking with a colonel in the army.

   3. By courtesy, an officer actually commanding a vessel, although not having the rank of captain.

   4. The master or commanding officer of a merchant vessel.

   5. One in charge of a portion of a ship's company; as, a captain of a top, captain of a gun, etc.

   6. The foreman of a body of workmen.

   7. A person having authority over others acting in concert; as, the captain of a boat's crew; the captain of a football team.

      A trainband captain eke was he.
      --Cowper.

      The Rhodian captain, relying on . . . the lightness of his vessel, passed, in open day, through all the guards.
      --Arbuthnot.

2. A military leader; a warrior. Foremost captain of his time. --Tennyson. Captain general.

   1. The commander in chief of an army or armies, or of the militia.

   2. The Spanish governor of Cuba and its dependent islands.

      Captain lieutenant, a lieutenant with the rank and duties of captain but with a lieutenant's pay, -- as in the first company of an English regiment.

n. (context historical English) A commander-in-chief; the head of an armed force.

Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.