A military unit typically consisting of 16-50 soldiers, or in sports, a strategy of substituting players in groups.
From French 'peloton' meaning small ball or group, derived from 'pelote' (ball). Originally referred to a small body of soldiers, the military sense developed in the 17th century as armies became more organized into smaller tactical units.
The platoon system in baseball, where left-handed and right-handed batters are strategically substituted, revolutionized the sport in the 1950s. This borrowed military term reflects how sports often adopt tactical language from warfare to describe strategic concepts.
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