battalion
Americannoun
-
battalions
plural
-
Military. a ground force unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies or similar units.
-
an army in battle array.
-
Often battalions. a large number of persons or things; force.
battalions of bureaucrats.
noun
-
a military unit comprised of three or more companies or formations of similar size
-
(usually plural) any large array
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of battalion
1580–90; < Middle French bataillon < Italian battaglione large squadron of soldiers, equivalent to battagli ( a ) battalia ( def. ) + -one augmentative suffix
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.
Vocabulary lists containing battalion
Chains
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Pop Culture: December 29, 2018 - January 4, 2019
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Code Talker
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Stupnikov named his battalion, and said he was out to inspect surveillance cameras and test the radio connection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
He appended his name, rank, location, and battalion and brigade names.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
A battalion chief ordered crews to remove the hose anyway, The Times reported in October 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 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
This battalion of heroes ventured out into the stricken city every day without fail.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
U.S. forces in South Korea also maintain two Patriot battalions, in addition to the one in Japan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
Today some 40 battalions defend that border, but such a deployment is difficult to maintain over the long haul.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2024
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
The remaining two battalions were operating at a “medium level,” the military said.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2024
When tank battalions approached the Congress, democracy protesters threw up barricades.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
