Etymology
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platoon (n.)

1630s, "a small body of soldiers acting together but separate from the main body of troops," from French peloton "platoon, group of people," literally "little ball" (15c.), hence, "agglomeration," diminutive of Old French pelote "ball" (see pellet). Football sense of "group of players trained to act as a unit on the field" is by 1941.

platoon (v.)

in baseball, "to alternate (a player) with another in the same position," 1967, from platoon (n.), which had been used in team sports since 1941.

Entries linking to platoon

pellet (n.)

mid-14c., pelot, "any little ball," as of a medicine or food, but especially a little metallic ball used as a missile, from Old French pelote "small ball" (11c.) and directly from Medieval Latin pelotis, from Vulgar Latin *pilotta, diminutive of Latin pila "ball, playing ball, the game of ball," perhaps originally "ball of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)).

peloton (n.)

1706, "small body of soldiers, platoon," from French peloton, derivative of pelote "ball, heap, platoon" (11c.); see platoon (n.).

updated on July 08, 2020

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Dictionary entries near platoon

platinum

platitude

Platonic

Platonism

Platonist

platoon

Plattdeutsch

platter

platypus

plaudit

plausibility

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