squadron

American  

[skwod-ruhn] / ˈskwɒd rən /

noun

• squadrons
  plural

1. a portion of a naval fleet or a detachment of warships; a subdivision of a fleet.

2. an armored cavalry or cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops, a headquarters, and various supporting units.

3. (in the U.S. Air Force).

   1. the basic administrative and tactical unit, smaller than a group and composed of two or more flights.

   2. a flight formation.

4. a number of persons grouped or united together for some purpose; group.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to form into a squadron or squadrons; marshal or array in or as if in squadrons.

squadron British  

/ ˈskwɒdrən /

noun

1. 1. a subdivision of a naval fleet detached for a particular task

   2. a number of naval units usually of similar type and consisting of two or more divisions

2. a cavalry unit comprising two or more troops, headquarters, and supporting arms

3. the basic tactical and administrative air force unit comprising two or more flights

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• half-squadron
  noun
• subsquadron
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• squadrons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of squadron

1555–65; < Italian squadrone, equivalent to squadr ( a ) square + -one augmentative suffix

Explanation

In the military, a squadron is a small unit sent out from the main group to do some particular task. In the air force, for example, a squadron might fly out on a surveillance mission. This word comes from the military, but the meaning varies depending on the branch. In the army, a squadron is a cavalry (horses) unit that has at least two troops, which are smaller collections of soldiers. The squadron also includes a headquarters and support. In the air force, a squadron has at least two flights, which are the equivalent of troops. An air force squadron is smaller than a group and bigger than a flight in the basic chain of command.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

squadron squadrons

During the best fight scene, Peter takes on a squadron of gravity-defying ninjas in a brawl that takes place as much in the air as on the ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

An array of military jets, including the Blue Angels, the US Navy's flight demonstration squadron, flew over New York Harbor, some leaving red, white and blue contrails.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

The Iranians then sent a squadron of small attack boats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

At the start of the month, Starmer said four additional jets would be sent to Qatar following the deployment of the Royal Air Force's joint UK-Qatari Typhoon squadron in January.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

There were real ranks now, squadron leaders with bullhorns; we marched over the snowy hills wave upon wave.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

It also has several squadrons of F-15E fighters in Jordan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

PLA engineers could fail to get the technology to work in a real wartime scenario, making China’s robot squadrons easy for enemies to pick off or disable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026

With its last two MiG-21 squadrons retired, India will now have 29 fighter units against a sanctioned 42.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025

Something’s going on in the night sky in New Jersey, where I live: People keep reporting squadrons of drones flying around in the dark over their houses.

From Slate ● Dec. 12, 2024

Most consisted of two squadrons of ten aircraft apiece; Marina Raskova’s three female regiments were not going to change the outcome of an air war on this scale.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• armada
• battalion
• fleet
• squad