Standard Lemma guide

brigade

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /bɹɪˈɡeɪd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪd
  • CMU ARPABET: B R AH0 G EY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: B R IH0 G EY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A group of people organized for a common purpose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a work brigade; a fire brigade

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A military unit composed of several regiments (or battalions) and including soldiers from different arms of service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A group of people who share views or a specific characteristic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

Examples

  • More sympathy for career criminals from the bleeding-heart brigade!
  • I wouldn't even want to be seen dead with those nerds of the bowl-cut brigade.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Coordinated online harassment, disruption or influencing, especially organized by an antagonistic website or community.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To form or unite into a brigade; to group together.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To harass an individual or community online in a coordinated manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

army unit smaller than a division

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: army unit

8

verb

Meaning 8

form or unite into a brigade

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: group, aggroup

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bhreg-der. Proto-Germanic *brekanąder.? Italian briga Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Italian -are Italian brigare ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -āta Italian -ata Italian brigatabor. Middle French brigade French brigadebor. English brigade Borrowed from French brigade.

Across languages

Translations

64 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: brigade — organized group of people
  • Armenian: բրիգադ (brigad) — organized group of people
  • Belarusian: брыга́да (bryháda) — organized group of people
  • Bulgarian: отря́д (otrjád) — organized group of people
  • Bulgarian: кома́нда (kománda) — organized group of people
  • Catalan: brigada — organized group of people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 隊 /队 (duì) — organized group of people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 班 (bān) — organized group of people
  • Czech: brigáda — organized group of people
  • Finnish: prikaati — organized group of people
  • Finnish: -kunta (e.g. palokunta) — organized group of people
  • Finnish: osasto — organized group of people
  • Finnish: ryhmä — organized group of people
  • Galician: brigada — organized group of people
  • German: Brigade — organized group of people
  • Hungarian: brigád — organized group of people
  • Javanese: ꦧꦽꦒꦢ (bregada) — organized group of people
  • Polish: brygada — organized group of people
  • Russian: брига́да (brigáda) — organized group of people
  • Russian: кома́нда (kománda) — organized group of people
  • Russian: отря́д (otrjád) — organized group of people
  • Spanish: brigada — organized group of people
  • Ukrainian: брига́да (bryháda) — organized group of people
  • Afrikaans: brigade — military unit
  • Arabic: لِوَاء (liwāʔ) — military unit
  • Armenian: բրիգադ (brigad) — military unit
  • Azerbaijani: briqada — military unit
  • Belarusian: брыга́да (bryháda) — military unit
  • Bulgarian: брига́да (brigáda) — military unit
  • Catalan: brigada — military unit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 旅 (lǚ) — military unit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 旅團 /旅团 (lǚtuán) — military unit
  • Czech: brigáda — military unit
  • Esperanto: brigado — military unit
  • Estonian: brigaad — military unit
  • Finnish: prikaati — military unit
  • Galician: brigada — military unit
  • German: Brigade — military unit
  • Greek: ταξιαρχία (taxiarchía) — military unit
  • Ancient Greek: τάγμα (tágma) — military unit
  • Hebrew: חטיבה (khativá) — military unit
  • Hungarian: dandár — military unit
  • Ingrian: brigada — military unit
  • Italian: brigata — military unit
  • Japanese: 旅団 (ryodan) — military unit
  • Javanese: ꦧꦽꦒꦢ (bregada) — military unit
  • Korean: 여단 (yeodan) — military unit
  • Korean: 려단 (ryeodan) — military unit
  • Manx: brigaid — military unit
  • Māori: pirikēti — military unit
  • Persian: تیپ (tip) — military unit
  • Polish: brygada — military unit
  • Portuguese: brigada — military unit
  • Romanian: brigadă — military unit
  • Russian: отря́д (otrjád) — military unit
  • Russian: брига́да (brigáda) — military unit
  • Spanish: brigada — military unit
  • Swahili: brigedi — military unit
  • Swedish: brigad — military unit
  • Turkish: tugay — military unit
  • Ottoman Turkish: لوا (liva) — military unit
  • Ukrainian: брига́да (bryháda) — military unit
  • Vietnamese: lữ đoàn — military unit
  • Zazaki: cems — military unit
Real reading context

brigade in complete knowledge articles