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batallón

ba-ta-YOHN/bataˈjon/

“batallón” means “battalion” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

battalion

Also: squad
NounmB1
A row of several identical soldiers standing at attention in matching uniforms.

📝 In Action

El batallón avanzó hacia la frontera al amanecer.

B1

The battalion advanced toward the border at dawn.

Mi abuelo perteneció a un batallón de infantería.

B2

My grandfather belonged to an infantry battalion.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • batallón de infantería – infantry battalion
  • comandante del batallón – battalion commander

army, multitude

Also: ton
NounmB2informal
A large, diverse crowd of people walking together in the same direction.

📝 In Action

Un batallón de fans esperaba al cantante en el aeropuerto.

B2

An army of fans was waiting for the singer at the airport.

Necesitaremos un batallón de limpieza después de esta fiesta.

C1

We'll need a whole cleaning crew (army) after this party.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • muchedumbre (crowd)
  • gentío (great number of people)

Common Collocations

  • un batallón de personas – a huge group of people

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser un batallón – to be a very large family or group

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "batallón" in Spanish:

battalion→multitude→ton→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: batallón

Question 1 of 1

If you see 'un batallón de niños' in a park, what does it mean?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
batalla(battle) — Noun
batallar(to battle / to struggle) — Verb
batallador(fighter / hard-working) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
camióncorazónacción
📚 Etymology▼

Borrowed from the Italian word 'battaglione,' which is the 'large' version of 'battaglia' (battle). It literally means a large unit for battle.

First recorded: 17th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: battalionFrench: bataillon

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'batallón' bigger than an 'ejército'?

No. An 'ejército' (army) is the entire organization, while a 'batallón' is just one smaller piece or unit of that army.

Does 'batallón' always have a plural form?

Yes, 'batallones'. Note that when you make it plural, the accent mark on the 'o' disappears.