echelon

I. noun Etymology: French échelon, literally, rung of a ladder, from Old French eschelon, from eschele ladder, from Late Latin scala Date: 1796 1. a. (1) an arrangement of a body of troops with its units each somewhat to the left or right of the one in the rear like a series of steps (2) a formation of units or individuals resembling such an echelon <

geese flying in echelon

> (3) a flight formation in which each airplane flies at a certain elevation above or below and at a certain distance behind and to the right or left of the airplane ahead b. any of several military units in echelon formation; also any unit or group acting in a disciplined or organized manner <

served in a combat echelon

> 2. a. one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity <

involved employees at every echelon

> b. a group of individuals at a particular level or grade in an organization <

the upper echelons of the bureaucracy

> II. verb Date: circa 1860 transitive verb to form or arrange in an echelon intransitive verb to take position in an echelon