corporal1
n.
- a rank of non-commissioned officer in the army, above lance corporal or private first class and below sergeant.
-
(also ship's corporal)
Brit. historical a petty officer who attended solely to police matters, under the master-at-arms.
- N. Amer. a fallfish.
Etymology
C16: from Fr., obs. var. of caporal, from Ital. caporale, prob. based on L. corpus, corpor- ‘body (of troops)’.
corporal2
adj.
relating to the human body.
Derivative
Etymology
ME: via OFr. from L. corporalis, from corpus, corpor- ‘body’.
corporal3
n.
a cloth on which the chalice and paten are placed during the celebration of the Eucharist.
Etymology
ME: from med. L. corporale (pallium) ‘body (cloth)’, from L. corpus, corpor- ‘body’.