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Synonyms

battalion

American  
[buh-tal-yuhn] / bəˈtæl yən /

noun

  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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • subbattalion noun

Etymology

Origin of battalion

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

The adversary forces were “able to eliminate two battalions in a day,” so that “in an exercise sense, basically, they were not able to fight anymore after that.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Frustrated with the pace of change, last year, Breuer started to give money directly to battalion and brigade commanders so they can buy off-the-shelf commercial drones and other equipment so they can experiment.

From The Wall Street Journal

The attack prompted Tinubu to order the deployment of a battalion in the remote village.

From Barron's

The sight of the full battalion brings grins to every passerby.

From Salon