word origin

Middle English (denoting an emir, a Muslim leader, or Saracen commander): from Old French amiral, admirail, via medieval Latin from Arabic 'amīr ‘commander’ (from 'amara ‘to command’). The ending -al was from Arabic -al- ‘of the’, used in titles (e.g. 'amīr-al-'umarā ‘ruler of rulers’), later assimilated to the familiar Latinate suffix -al.