platoon

From obsolete French plauton, variant of peloton, from Middle French pelote + -on. Doublet of peloton. Compare pellet.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pləˈtuːn/

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platoon (plural platoons)

1. (military) A unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a lieutenant and forming part of a company.
   • 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 140:

     Needless to say, one's seat must be booked in advance and a platoon of urbane officials, one to each door of the train, awaits passengers to usher them to their seats and relieve them of their bulkier baggage.

2. A group of self-driving vehicles travelling in a close convoy and communicating electronically with each other.
3. (education, historical) A group of children in the platoon grouping education system.

platoon (third-person singular simple present platoons, present participle platooning, simple past and past participle platooned)

1. (baseball) To alternate starts with a teammate of opposite handedness, depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher

   Taylor has been hitting poorly against left-handers, and Morgan has been hitting poorly against right-handers, so they will platoon.

2. (sports) To specialize in a particular position or playing style.
   • 2014, The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Greatest Moments in Iowa Hawkeyes Football History

     You must understand the rules of football in 1939. There was no platooning, so each man played both offense and defense.

3. Of self-driving vehicles: to travel in a close convoy, each vehicle communicating electronically with the others.

• platoon system