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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• half-squadron
  noun
• subsquadron
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• squadrons
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of squadron

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

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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

The public inquiry was set up in 2022, following reporting by BBC Panorama that linked one SAS squadron to 54 suspicious deaths on a single six-month tour of Afghanistan.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The United States Navy will deploy a nuclear-powered submarine squadron to a strategic Australian navy port this year, Canberra's defence minister said on Friday.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

The country’s minesweeper squadron is based in the port of Kiel on the Baltic Sea coast and includes some 12 minehunting and clearance diving vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

A former commander of a pararescue jumpers squadron told CBS News that a rescue operation like the reported one in Iran would involve at least 24 pararescue jumpers scouring the area in Black Hawk helicopters.

From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026

He established a tradition that after a successful mission, each squadron would fly home together at a low height in an air-show formation.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Pakistan already has 8,000 troops in Saudi Arabia, along with 16 Chinese-made JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, combat drone squadrons and a surface-to-air missile battery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, is one of two quick reaction alert stations that protect UK airspace with combat-ready squadrons of Typhoon jets.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The Pentagon also is rotating Air Force fighter squadrons in the region with Air National Guard F-16s replacing warplanes that are returning to the U.S. base at Aviano, Italy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 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

I had a setup: five squadrons, five men in front, five men in back, five men walking on the sides.

From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones

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Related Words

• armada
• battalion
• fleet
• squad

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