battalion

noun

bat·​tal·​ion bə-ˈtal-yən How to pronounce battalion (audio)
Synonyms of battalionnext
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

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Examples of battalion in a Sentence

a battalion of angry protesters the nation's battalions were forced to fight on two fronts simultaneously
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 Senior staff, including the battalion chief and assistant chief, were on scene as well, directing the response and checking in with the family throughout. — Rob Moore, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Originally constructed in the 1860s to house two battalions of the British Army, Chelsea Barracks served as an important military base for more than 140 years before being decommissioned in 2008. — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026 Last November, 600 soldiers formed a battalion that specialized in drone warfare and was set up to be used as a dedicated unit that could deploy anywhere drones were required. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for battalion

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of battalion was in 1579

Rhymes for battalion

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Browse Nearby Words

battalia
battalion
Battambang
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Cite this Entry

“Battalion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battalion. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

battalion

noun
bat·​tal·​ion bə-ˈtal-yən How to pronounce battalion (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on battalion

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about battalion

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