battalion
Americannoun
-
Military. a ground force unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies or similar units.
-
an army in battle array.
-
Often battalions. a large number of persons or things; force.
battalions of bureaucrats.
noun
-
a military unit comprised of three or more companies or formations of similar size
-
(usually plural) any large array
Other Word Forms
- subbattalion noun
Etymology
Origin of battalion
1580–90; < Middle French bataillon < Italian battaglione large squadron of soldiers, equivalent to battagli ( a ) battalia ( def. ) + -one augmentative suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A well-regarded battalion commander in Yemen’s armed forces, Ashaal, then 42, worked a sideline in real estate with a partner.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Shpuk joined the Ukrainian army as part of a volunteer battalion in 2014.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
Frustrated with the pace of change, last year, Breuer started to give money directly to battalion and brigade commanders so they can buy off-the-shelf commercial drones and other equipment so they can experiment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
The sight of the full battalion brings grins to every passerby.
From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026
The cook had prepared enough to feed a battalion: pheasant stuffed with figs, stewed oysters, potted larks, greens cooked with bacon, pickled watermelon rind, and buttered parsnips.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
