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squad

n.
US //ˈskwɑd// UK //skwˈɒd// squad
  1. 1 military or police unit (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small group of soldiers or police officers who work together as a team.

    a small unit of people, typically in a military or police context, organised for a specific tactical purpose.

    Example

    The police sent a special squad to investigate the robbery at the bank.

    Example

    The infantry squad moved cautiously through the dense undergrowth, maintaining radio silence to avoid alerting nearby enemy patrols.
  2. 2 sports team (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    the group of players that make up a sports team.

    the collective group of athletes from which a team is selected for a specific match or competition.

    Example

    The manager announced the starting squad for the championship game on Saturday.

    Example

    Despite several injuries to key players, the national squad remains the favourite to win the upcoming international tournament.
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  1. 3 friend group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Slang

    a close group of friends who spend a lot of time together.

    an informal social circle or close-knit group of friends. Often used to imply loyalty and shared identity.

    Example

    I am going to the cinema with the squad this weekend.

    Example

    She posted a photo of her squad at the beach, captioning it with a message about their decade-long friendship.

    Teacher's tip

    While originally military, this sense became highly popular in social media culture to describe one's inner circle of friends.
  2. 4 political group (n.)
    C1 Advanced American English Informal

    a small, active group of people within a larger political party.

    a small, cohesive faction within a legislative body or political organisation that shares specific ideological goals.

    Example

    The new members of the squad are pushing for major changes in environmental law.

    Example

    The influence of the progressive squad within the party has grown significantly, leading to more robust debates over economic policy.
Etymology 1

From French escouade, from Italian squadra (“square”) (whence also French escadre). Doublet of squadra and square.

Etymology 2

Uncertain. Compare squick (“disgust”), squalid (“dirty”) with similar initial sounds.

Idioms2 entries

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