flag officer: Meaning and Definition of

flag' of"ficer

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a naval officer above the rank of captain, as a fleet admiral, admiral, vice-admiral, rear admiral, or commodore, who is entitled to display a flag indicating his or her rank.
  2. (formerly) an officer in command of a fleet, squadron, or group of ships.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.