rear echelon

noun

(in a military operation) the troops, officers, etc., removed from the combat zone and responsible for administration, matériel, etc.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby rear echelon

reappraise, rear, rear adm., rear admiral, rear deck, rear echelon, rear end, rear its ugly head, rear light, rear projection, rear sight

Compare forward echelon.

Origin of rear echelon

First recorded in 1930–35