adj · name · 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɛʃ.ə.lɒn/
/ˈeɪ-/
/ˈɛk.ə.lɒn/
General-American:/ˈɛʃ.əˌlɑn/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH1 SH AH0 L AA2 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of a matrix: having undergone Gaussian elimination with the result that the leading coefficient or pivot (that is, the first nonzero number from the left) of a nonzero row is to the right of the pivot of the row above it, giving rise to a stepped appearance in the matrix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: linear-algebra, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
name
Meaning 2
An international SIGINT network to monitor and gather intelligence from satellite trunk communications.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rung
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind, resulting in a diagonal line across the road.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: cycling, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A formation of troops, ships, aircraft, etc., in diagonal parallel rows.
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
6
verb
Meaning 6
To form troops into an echelon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a diffraction grating consisting of a pile of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: diffraction grating, grating
8
noun
Meaning 8
a body of troops arranged in a line
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: military unit, military force, military group, force
History
Etymology
Borrowed from French échelon (“rung; echelon”), from échelle (“ladder”) + -on (diminutive suffix). Échelle is derived from Latin scāla (“ladder”), from scandō (“to ascend, climb”), from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to jump”).
Across languages
Translations
56 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
esfera
— level or rank
Catalan:
quadre
— level or rank
Catalan:
esglaó
— level or rank
Czech:
stupeň
— level or rank
Czech:
úroveň
— level or rank
Czech:
vrstva
— level or rank
Danish:
grad
— level or rank
Danish:
trin
— level or rank
Danish:
lag
— level or rank
Finnish:
taso
— level or rank
French:
échelon
— level or rank
German:
Stufe
— level or rank
German:
Rang
— level or rank
German:
Skala
— level or rank
Indonesian:
eselon
— level or rank
Norwegian Bokmål:
grad
— level or rank
Norwegian Bokmål:
nivå
— level or rank
Persian:
پله
(pelle)
— level or rank
Portuguese:
escalão
— level or rank
Russian:
звено́
(zvenó)
— level or rank
Russian:
эшело́н
(ešelón)
— level or rank
Spanish:
escalón
— level or rank
Spanish:
esfera
— level or rank
Spanish:
cuadro
— level or rank
Spanish:
peldaño
— level or rank
Spanish:
estamento
— level or rank
Swedish:
grad
— level or rank
Swedish:
nivå
— level or rank
Swedish:
skikt
— level or rank
Czech:
terezín
— (cycling) line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind
Dutch:
waaier
— (cycling) line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind
Spanish:
abanico
— (cycling) line of riders seeking maximum drafting in a crosswind
Belarusian:
эшэло́н
(ešelón)
— (military) formation of troops
Bulgarian:
ешело́н
(ešelón)
— (military) formation of troops
Czech:
(vojenský) útvar
— (military) formation of troops
Danish:
led
— (military) formation of troops
Danish:
niveau
— (military) formation of troops
Finnish:
vinorivi
— (military) formation of troops
French:
échelon
— (military) formation of troops
German:
Echelon
— (military) formation of troops
Indonesian:
eselon
— (military) formation of troops
Italian:
scaglione
— (military) formation of troops
Polish:
eszelon
— (military) formation of troops
Portuguese:
escalão
— (military) formation of troops
Russian:
эшело́н
(ešelón)
— (military) formation of troops
Spanish:
escalón
— (military) formation of troops
Ukrainian:
ешело́н
(ešelón)
— (military) formation of troops
Belarusian:
эшалані́раваць
(ešalaníravacʹ)
— to form troops into an echelon
Bulgarian:
ешелонирам
(ešeloniram)
— to form troops into an echelon
French:
échelonner
— to form troops into an echelon
Italian:
scaglionare
— to form troops into an echelon
Polish:
eszelonować
— to form troops into an echelon
Portuguese:
escalonar
— to form troops into an echelon
Russian:
эшелони́ровать
(ešelonírovatʹ)
— to form troops into an echelon
Spanish:
escalonar
— to form troops into an echelon
Ukrainian:
ешелонува́ти
(ešelonuváty)
— to form troops into an echelon
