platoon

Etymology

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

noun

1. (military) A unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a lieutenant and forming part of a company.
   Needless to say, one's seat must be booked in advance and a platoon of urbane officials, one to each door of the train, awaits passengers to usher them to their seats and relieve them of their bulkier baggage. 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 140
2. A group of self-driving vehicles travelling in a close convoy and communicating electronically with each other.
3. (education, historical) A group of children in the platoon grouping education system.

verb

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. (sports) To specialize in a particular position or playing style.
   You must understand the rules of football in 1939. There was no platooning, so each man played both offense and defense. 2014, The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Greatest Moments in Iowa Hawkeyes Football History
3. Of self-driving vehicles: to travel in a close convoy, each vehicle communicating electronically with the others.