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platoon

American  
[pluh-toon] / pləˈtun /

noun

  1. a military unit consisting of two or more squads or sections and a headquarters.

  2. a small unit of a police force.

  3. a company or group of persons.

    a platoon of visitors.

  4. 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)

  1. 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)

  1. 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.

platoon British  
/ pləˈtuːn /

noun

  1. military a subunit of a company usually comprising three sections of ten to twelve men: commanded by a lieutenant

  2. a group or unit of people, esp one sharing a common activity, characteristic, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of platoon

1630–40; earlier plotton < French peloton little ball, group, platoon, diminutive of pelote ball. See pellet, -oon

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.

He joined the Marines and led a rifle platoon of the Third Marine Division in Vietnam, where he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Sodais, 33, and Sullivan, then a platoon leader, met two years later at a military base in the remote Zabul Province.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

During his military career, Driscoll became an officer in 2007, led a cavalry platoon and deployed to Iraq for several months in 2009.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

His father is fighting and his stepfather -- one of only two survivors from his original platoon -- deserted to look after his three children.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

At first he seemed to think Horan, still in his uniform, was part of his platoon.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

Definitions 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.