bataillon
battalion
noun bah-tah-YON Rare
Origin: Italian battaglione, from battaglia ('battle')
Usage Note
Bataillon is a military unit of several hundred soldiers, typically three to five companies. The familiar phrase un bataillon de is used hyperbolically to mean 'a whole army of' (e.g. journalists, volunteers). It always takes un.
Examples
"Le bataillon a reçu ses ordres."
Natural Translation
The battalion received its orders.
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