troop

Meaning

Noun

1. A collection of people; a number; a multitude (in general).
2. A small unit of cavalry or armour commanded by a captain, corresponding to a platoon or company of infantry.
3. A detachment of soldiers or police, especially horse artillery, armour, or state troopers.
4. A group of soldiers; military forces.
5. An individual soldier or member of a military force; a trooper.
6. A company of actors; a troupe.
7. A chapter of a national girl or boy scouts organization, consisting of one or more patrols of 6 to 8 youngsters each.
8. A group of monkeys.
9. A group of meerkat families living together.
10. A particular roll of the drum; a quick march.
11. A group of mushrooms that are close but not close enough to be called a cluster.

Verb

1. To move in numbers; to come or gather in crowds or troops.
2. To march on; to go forward in haste.
3. To move or march as if in a crowd.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɹuːp/

Etymology

Attested in English since 1545, from French troupe (back-formation of troupeau, diminutive of Medieval Latin troppus "flock") and Middle French trouppe (from Old French trope (“band, company, troop”)), both of Germanic origin from Frankish *þorp (“assembly, gathering”), from Proto-Germanic *þurpą (“village, land, estate”), from Proto-Indo-European *treb- (“dwelling, settlement”).
Doublet of troupe, and possibly also of thorp and dorp. Cognate with German Dorf (“village”).