battalion

American  

[buh-tal-yuhn] / bəˈtæl jən /

noun

• battalions
  plural

1. Military. a ground force unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies or similar units.

2. an army in battle array.

3. Often battalions. a large number of persons or things; force.

   battalions of bureaucrats.

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battalion British  

/ bəˈtæljən /

noun

1. a military unit comprised of three or more companies or formations of similar size

2. (usually plural) any large array

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subbattalion
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• battalions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of battalion

1580–90; < Middle French bataillon < Italian battaglione large squadron of soldiers, equivalent to battagli ( a ) battalia ( def. ) + -one augmentative suffix

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Explanation

A battalion is a unit of an army. One battalion usually consists of three or more companies and a headquarters. The word battalion sounds a lot like battle, and that's a clue to its meaning: battalions are groups engaged in a battle. Specifically, a battalion is a smaller segment of an army. Within a battalion, there will usually be a headquarters, as well as a few smaller units, which are called companies. The members of a battalion will work closely together, whether they are attacking an enemy or defending a base. Veterans always remember the other soldiers in their battalion.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

battalion battalions

Angel Tomko, the battalion’s public-affairs officer, said the idea came from a new career counselor who suggested that supporting the troop’s specific interests could help the battalion reach its re-enlistment goal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

The commander of one battalion is offering troops who sign up for more years of service four days off for the November 19 launch of the highly anticipated video game.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

After the Redlands deputy police chief, the second-highest-paid employee in 2025 was a Los Angeles Fire Department battalion chief, followed by a transmission and distribution supervisor with the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

Some have been carried out by the 413th separate battalion "Raid" of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, whose commander, Yevhen Karas, spoke to the BBC from an undisclosed location in Ukraine.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

If they had the guts to send up a flare it had to be a damn battalion of them.

From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers

That success, and the money that nourishes it, has battalions of fans beyond Los Angeles all but marching outside ballparks with picket signs reading “SALARY CAP NOW.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

More than that, the relationship of the new Section 122 tariffs with existing trade agreements requires sorting out, with battalions of lawyers and consultants ready to provide high-priced advice on the rapidly changing environment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

He said in a speech on Tuesday that he wants the Army to have "battalions of one-way attack drones".

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2024

It subsequently scaled down combat operations across northern Gaza, declaring that Hamas’s local battalions had been dismantled.

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2024

Finally, Princesse walked down to the beach and watched the stars line up in random battalions in the evening sky.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat

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Related Words

• army
• contingent
• corps
• legion
• squadron
• unit

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