squad

American  

[skwod] / skwɒd /

noun

1. a small number of soldiers, commonly 10 privates, a staff sergeant, and a corporal; the smallest military unit.

2. a group of police officers, especially one organized to deal with a particular area of law enforcement.

   drug squad; fraud squad.

3. any small group or party of persons engaged in a common enterprise.

4. a sports team or a group of players from which a team is selected.

5. Slang. a group of friends.

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verb (used with object)

squadded, squadding

1. to form into squads.

2. to assign to a squad.

squad British  

/ skwɒd /

noun

1. the smallest military formation, typically comprising a dozen soldiers, used esp as a drill formation

2. any small group of people engaged in a common pursuit

3. sport a number of players from which a team is to be selected

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Etymology

Origin of squad

1640–50; < French esquade, alteration of esquadre < Spanish escuadra square; so called from square shape of the formation

Example Sentences

And Los Angeles Police Department SWAT, bomb squad and snipers will be in the area, law enforcement sources told The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

After briefly landing on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad, he joined the Dolphins in September.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite such difficulties, George has the squad’s best record for solving cases.

From The Wall Street Journal

He joined Team Italy in 2023 to honor his Italian grandfather, then spent the next few years championing the squad to anyone he could find with an Italian branch on their family tree.

From The Wall Street Journal

There's a chance that fatigue kicks in for them here but it shouldn't do, because they have got such great depth in their squad.

From BBC

Related Words

• band
• battalion
• division
• force
• gang
• group
• squadron
• troop