platoon

IPA: pɫʌtˈun

(military) A unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a lieutenant and forming part of a company.
A group of self-driving vehicles travelling in a close convoy and communicating electronically with each other.
(education, historical) A group of children in the platoon grouping education system.

(baseball) To alternate starts with a teammate of opposite handedness, depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher
(sports) To specialize in a particular position or playing style.
Of self-driving vehicles: to travel in a close convoy, each vehicle communicating electronically with the others.

Examples of "platoon" in Sentences

The natural strength of a platoon is understrength.
A platoon is typically less than thirty men, and a squad is eight or less.
This year's blue-line platoon is a fairly uninspiring lot in Red Line's view.
"Testing was conducted on an unwitting platoon from the 75th Ranger Regiment."
That's because there isn't one specific focal character; if anything, the platoon is the focal character.
The platoon is also required to promote an uneasy hearts-and-minds policy among notionally friendly locals.
In the current report, we are told that the situation became so serious that a platoon from the 3Bn the Parachute Regiment refused to go out on patrol until the problem was resolved.
The Navy announced last year it would name a destroyer after Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, who used his helmet and body to cover a grenade in Iraq on April 14, 2004, protecting members of his platoon from the bulk of the blast, according to the Department of Defense's "Heroes in the War on Terror" website.