platoon

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pləˈtuːn/

platoon (plural platoons)

1. (military) A unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a lieutenant and forming part of a company.
2. A group of self-driving vehicles travelling in a close convoy and communicating electronically with each other.

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

• platoon system