battalion

From French bataillon.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bəˈtælɪən/

battalion (plural battalions)

1. (military) An army unit having two or more companies, etc. and a headquarters. Traditionally forming part of a regiment.
2. (US, military) an army unit having two or more companies, etc. and a headquarters; forming part of a brigade.
3. Any large body of troops.
4. (by extension) A great number of things.

• (great number of things): heap, horde, load, mass, pile, swathe

battalion (third-person singular simple present battalions, present participle battalioning, simple past and past participle battalioned)

1. To form into battalions.

• antibloat