General Custer

4 7.2

An American army general killed with his soldiers at the Battle of Little Bighorn by the Sioux

proper noun
/ˈdʒɛnərəl ˈkʌstər/

: General Custer

During the Civil War, General Custer gained fame for his cavalry tactics.

Examples

Many historians still debate whether General Custer made crucial tactical errors at Little Bighorn.
The life and legacy of General Custer remain controversial subjects in American history.
A statue of General Custer stands in his hometown as a tribute to his military career.
Did General Custer really believe he could defeat the Sioux?
A statue of General Custer stands in his hometown as a tribute to his military career.
Many historians still debate whether General Custer made crucial tactical errors at Little Bighorn.
The life and legacy of General Custer remain controversial subjects in American history.

Synonyms

Custer

vsGeneral Custer

14 8.9

A United States army officer who was killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn

notes his rank as general and death with his whole command

George Armstrong Custer

vsGeneral Custer

1 6.5

An American army officer killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn

emphasizes death together with the loss of his entire command

Surface Forms

General Custer main

Morphology

general + Custer

The phrase is a straightforward title + proper name composition: a learner who knows 'general' and recognizes 'Custer' will interpret it as a military officer named Custer. While the detailed historical facts (dates, Battle of Little Bighorn) are not deducible from the words alone, the core referential meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

General Custer was a United States Army leader in the 1800s who is famous for the Battle of Little Bighorn, where he and all his soldiers were 'killed' in a sudden defeat. Because of that event, people remember him as the officer who died with his whole command.