squadron

[skwod-ruhn]

noun

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

/ 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

• half-squadron noun
• subsquadron noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of squadron¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of squadron¹

C16: from Italian squadrone soldiers drawn up in square formation, from squadro _square

Example Sentences

"We have more than a full squadron ready to go, ready to fight, ready to win, with more in the pipeline," he added.

Read more on BBC

As well as being used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Volkel Air Base hosts a US Air Force squadron as part of Nato.

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On June 8, 1708, the fleet encountered a British squadron and, during the fierce naval battle that followed, the San José exploded, sending the ship and almost all of its six-hundred-man crew to the bottom.

Read more on Literature

One afternoon in January 1956, after an uneventful practice flight in his F.84F Thunderstreak, Powers was surprised to see his name on a list stuck to the squadron bulletin board.

Read more on Literature

The carrier strike group will join eight warships already deployed to the region, as well as a squadron of F-35Bs in Puerto Rico, special operations forces and other military hardware.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• armada 
• battalion 
• fleet 
• squad