battalion
/bəˈtalɪən
/noun
1A large body of troops ready for battle, especially an infantry unit forming part of a brigade.He has held key staff positions with troops at the battalion, brigade and division levels....
- Throughout World War II, infantry battalions did not even have battalion scouts.
- National Guard infantry battalions have been integrated into combat operations throughout the theater.
Synonyms
unit, regiment, brigade, force, garrison, division, squadron, squad, company, section, detachment, contingent, legion, corps, troop, group;
in ancient Rome cohort
1.1A large organized group of people pursuing a common aim.It has, however, successfully filled a gap produced by the collapse of the big battalions of the international secular Left....
- India's specialized technology institutes are turning out battalions of software wizards.
- Legislation was introduced to control prices, and exports, to requisition cereals, and to organize labour battalions to work the land.
Synonyms
crowd, army, mob, throng, horde, swarm, multitude, herd, host, mass, drove, large number
Origin
Late 16th century: from French bataillon, from Italian battaglione, from battaglia 'battle', from Latin (see battle).
battle from Middle English:
Along with battalion (late 16th century), batter (Middle English), and battery, the word battle goes back through French to Latin battuere ‘to strike, beat’, also found in combat (mid 16th century) ‘fight together’. Battle appears in many phrases. We say that we are fighting a losing battle when a struggle is bound to end in failure, or that something that contributes to success is half the battle. A fiercely contested fight or dispute is a battle royal, which was originally a fight with several combatants.