escadrille

[ es-kuh-dril, es-kuh-dril; French es-ka-dree-yuh ]

/ ˌɛs kəˈdrɪl, ˈɛs kəˌdrɪl; French ɛs kaˈdri yə /

a squadron or divisional unit of airplanes: the Lafayette Escadrille of World War I.

Obsolete. a small naval squadron.

Origin of escadrille

1910–15; < French: flotilla, Middle French < Spanish escuadrilla, diminutive of escuadra squadron

The escadrille's next serious encounter with the foe took place a few days later.

Flying for France |James R. McConnell
The escadrille passed through Paris on its way to the Somme front.

Flying for France |James R. McConnell
Two Germans were brought down by machines they attacked and the four pilots from the American escadrille accounted for one each.

Flying for France |James R. McConnell
And all the pilots of the escadrille, in turn, came to sign it.

Georges Guynemer |Henry Bordeaux

Even men of higher rank who although connected with his escadrille are not pilots, treat him with respect.

Flying for France |James R. McConnell

escadrille

/ (ˌɛskəˈdrɪl, French ɛskadrij) /

a French squadron of aircraft, esp in World War I

a small squadron of ships

from French: flotilla, from Spanish escuadrilla, from escuadra squadron