Battalion

A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers^[1] commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into a number of companies, each typically commanded by a major or a captain. The typical battalion is built from three operational companies, one weapons company and one headquarters company. In some countries, battalions are exclusively infantry, while in others battalions are unit-level organisations.

The word "battalion" came into the English language in the 16th century from the French bataillon "battle squadron" (compare Italian battaglione with the same meaning), derived from Vulgar Latin battalia "battle" and ultimately from Classical Latin battuere "to beat or strike." The first use of the word in English was in the 1580s.^[2]