battalion

noun

bat·​tal·​ion bə-ˈtal-yən 

1

: a considerable body of troops organized to act together : army

2

: a military unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies, batteries, or similar units

3

: a large group

Synonyms of battalion

• army

Examples of battalion in a Sentence

a battalion of angry protesters

the nation's battalions were forced to fight on two fronts simultaneously

Recent Examples on the Web

LaNeve, who is filling in as the Army’s top uniformed officer, recently ordered the battalion to refocus on its core mission of being an airborne infantry unit. — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

An Army unit based in Europe was building its own drones before LaNeve directed it to end its efforts and return to being a traditional infantry battalion, officials said in August. — Ben Finley, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Reports indicate over 1,500 FPV drones are launched daily near Druzhkivka, and some tank battalions are being re-aligned into drone-assault formations. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

An Orange County fire battalion chief has been suspended from his post after he was arrested Friday in a prostitution sting by the Altamonte Springs Police Department, Orange County Fire Rescue confirmed Tuesday. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bataillon, from Old Italian battaglione, augmentative of battaglia company of soldiers, battle, from Late Latin battalia combat — more at battle entry 1

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for battalion

• italian
• medallion
• scallion
• stallion

Kids Definition

battalion

noun

bat·​tal·​ion bə-ˈtal-yən 

1

: a large body of troops : army

2

: a military unit composed of two or more smaller units (as companies or batteries)

3

: a large body of persons organized to act together