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platoon

[ pluh-toon ]
/ pləˈtun /
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noun
a military unit consisting of two or more squads or sections and a headquarters.
a small unit of a police force.
a company or group of persons: a platoon of visitors.
Football. a group of players specially trained in one aspect of the game, as offense or defense, and used as a unit: a halfback on the offensive platoon.
verb (used with object)
Sports.
  1. to use (a player) at a position in a game alternately with another player or players.
  2. to alternate (two different teams or units), as separate offensive and defensive squads.
verb (used without object)
Sports.
  1. to alternate at a position with another player or players.
  2. to use players alternately at the same position.
  3. to alternate different teams.
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Origin of platoon

1630–40; earlier plotton<French peloton little ball, group, platoon, diminutive of pelote ball. See pellet, -oon
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use platoon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for platoon

platoon
/ (pləˈtuːn) /

noun
military a subunit of a company usually comprising three sections of ten to twelve men: commanded by a lieutenant
a group or unit of people, esp one sharing a common activity, characteristic, etc

Word Origin for platoon

C17: from French peloton little ball, group of men, from pelote ball; see pellet
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
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