flotilla
noun
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Flotilla comes from the diminutive form of the Spanish noun flota, meaning "fleet." Flota derives via Old French from Old Norse floti and is related to Old English flota (meaning "ship" or "fleet"), an ancestor to English's float. Much like other words referring to groups of particular things (such as swarm), flotilla has taken on expanded usage to refer simply to a large number of something not necessarily having to do with nautical matters, often with humorous effect (e.g., "a flotilla of rather mature-looking male models" — Jed Perl, The New Republic).
Examples of flotilla in a Sentence
Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 20 June 2025
My family was in the lead raft in a flotilla of three carrying a total of 15 guests, and as we were whisked into the Kern’s current, something extraordinary happened: our anxieties evaporated.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025
Israel-Turkey relations deteriorated in 2010 after Israeli naval commandos intercepted a humanitarian flotilla attempting to breach the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
The Chinese flotilla has entered the Great Australian Bight off the Australian southern coastline.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotilla
Cite this Entry
“Flotilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flotilla. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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flotilla
noun
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