(Ital. coporale, from Lat. copus), the lowest officer in a company of infantry, next below a sergeant. He has charge over one of the divisions of the company, places and relieves sentinels, &c. In the ranks he does duty as a private, but his pay is rather more.

LANCE-CORPORAL originally denoted a cavalry soldier disabled by the loss of his lance or his horse during action, and retained for the time as a volunteer in the infantry; but the term is now applied to a private who, without superior pay, does the duty of a corporal, previous to his promotion to that grade.

CORPORAL of a Ship of War, an officer under the master at arms, employed to teach the officers the exercise of small arms, to attend at the gangway on entering ports, and to see that no spurious liquors are brought into the ship, except by permission; to extinguish all lights at a certain hour, &c.