Generall

Generall is an historical English spelling of the word general. It appears in Early Modern English and in older printed sources, where it functions as an adjective meaning relating to the whole or widespread, or as a variant spelling of the noun general. In modern English, the standard spelling is general.

Etymology: The form derives from the Latin generalis through Old French general. English spelling in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period often used double consonants and endings such as -all; over time the spelling with a single l became standard, with general prevailing by the 18th century.

Usage and context: Generall occurs primarily in historical texts, legal or administrative documents, and in quotations that reproduce earlier language. It is now regarded as archaic or obsolete, encountered mainly in philological work or when reproducing primary sources.

Modern status: Today, generall survives only as a historical spelling variant. It may appear in discussions of orthography or in reproductions of older documents, but in everyday writing, editors and style guides favor general.