platoon

¹pla·toon

noun \plə-ˈtün, pla-\

Definition of PLATOON

1

: a subdivision of a company-sized military unit normally consisting of two or more squads or sections

2

: a group of persons sharing a common characteristic or activity <a platoon of waiters>; especially : a group of football players who are trained for either offense or defense and are sent into or withdrawn from the game as a body

Examples of PLATOON

1. <will need a platoon of assistants to mount the display at the spring flower show>

Origin of PLATOON

French peloton small detachment, literally, ball, from Middle French pelote little ball — more at pellet

First Known Use: 1637

Related to PLATOON

Synonyms

army, band, brigade, company, crew, outfit, party, gang, squad, team

Related Words

battalion, corps, troop; force, host, posse, stable, troupe; administration, department, help, personnel, staff

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

Rhymes with PLATOON

aswoon, attune, baboon, balloon, bassoon, blue moon, buffoon, Calhoun, Cancún, cardoon, cartoon, cocoon, commune, doubloon, dragoon, festoon, fine-tune, forenoon, full moon, gaboon, gadroon, galloon, Gudrun, half-moon, harpoon, high noon, immune, impugn, jargoon, jejune, Kowloon, Kunlun, lagoon, lampoon, lardoon, Maine coon, maroon, monsoon, Neptune, new moon, oppugn, Pashtun, patroon, poltroon, pontoon, premune, puccoon, quadroon, ratoon, repugn, rough-hewn, saloon, Sassoon, shalloon, soupspoon, spittoon, spontoon, teaspoon, tribune, triune, tuchun, tycoon, typhoon, untune, Walloon

²platoon

verb

Definition of PLATOON

transitive verb

: to play (one player) alternately with another player in the same position (as on a baseball team)

intransitive verb

1

: to alternate with another player at the same position

2

: to use alternate players at the same position

First Known Use of PLATOON

1963

platoon

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Principal subdivision of a military company, battery, or troop. Usually commanded by a lieutenant, it consists of 25–50 soldiers organized into two or more squads led by noncommissioned officers. The term was first used in the 17th century to refer to a small body of musketeers who fired together in a volley alternately with another platoon. It has been used in U.S. military manuals since 1779, and throughout the 19th century it meant half a company. It was reintroduced into the British army in 1913. See also military unit.