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View synonyms for echelon

echelon

[ esh-uh-lon ]

noun

  1. a level of command, authority, or rank:

    After years of service, she is now in the upper echelon of city officials.

    Synonyms: standing, class, position, rung, tier, row, office, grade, authority, hierarchy, rank, place

  2. a level of worthiness, achievement, or reputation:

    studying hard to get into one of the top echelon colleges.

    Synonyms: tier, position, degree

  3. Military. a formation of troops, ships, airplanes, etc., in which groups of soldiers or individual vehicles or craft are arranged in parallel lines, either with each line extending to the right of the one in front right echelon or with each line extending to the left of the one in front left echelon, so that the whole presents the appearance of steps.
  4. Military. one of the groups of a formation so arranged.
  5. Archaic. any structure or group of structures arranged in a steplike form.
  6. Also called echelon grating. Spectroscopy. a diffraction grating that is used in the resolution of fine structure lines and consists of a series of plates of equal thickness stacked in staircase fashion.


verb (used with or without object)

  1. to form in an echelon.

echelon

/ ˈɛʃəˌlɒn /

noun

  1. a level of command, responsibility, etc (esp in the phrase the upper echelons )
  2. military
    1. a formation in which units follow one another but are offset sufficiently to allow each unit a line of fire ahead
    2. a group formed in this way
  3. physics a type of diffraction grating used in spectroscopy consisting of a series of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to assemble in echelon
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • ech·e·lon·ment noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of echelon1

First recorded in 1790–1800; from French échelon, originally “rung of a ladder,” from Old French eschelon, equivalent to esch(i)ele “ladder” (from Latin scāla + -on noun suffix; scale 3 )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of echelon1

C18: from French échelon, literally: rung of a ladder, from Old French eschiele ladder, from Latin scāla; see scale ³
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Example Sentences

And the Big Tribal Game is proving popular within Somalia - discussed at many tea stalls in capital, Mogadishu, and in higher echelons of society.

From BBC

He said he ran through the history of German authority figures, with Trump reiterating that he meant he wanted generals with the loyalty of the upper echelons of the military of Nazi Germany.

From Salon

He saw how the epidemic disproportionately impacted the poor and working classes, while those in the upper echelons of society, including his family, remained relatively unscathed.

From BBC

Herbert enters his fifth season looking to continue his rise in the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Now the top echelons of this amazing and beautiful sport are diverse beyond my wildest dreams.

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