battalion

UK: /bəˈtæljən/ US: /bəˈtæljən/ ,(bə tal′yən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bat•tal•ion /bəˈtælyən/   n. [countable]

1. an army unit made up of a headquarters and two or more companies.

See -bat-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bat•tal•ion  (bə tal′yən), n. 

1. Military a ground force unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies or similar units.
2. Military an army in battle array.
3. Often, battalions. a large number of persons or things;
   force:
   battalions of bureaucrats.

• Italian battaglione large squadron of soldiers, equivalent. to battagli(a) battaglia + -one augmentative suffix
• Middle French bataillon
• 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

battalion / bəˈtæljən/ noun

1. a military unit comprising three or more companies or formations of similar size
2. (usually plural) any large array

Etymology: 16th Century: from French bataillon, from Old Italian battaglione, from battaglia company of soldiers, battle