Plural of squad; small organized groups of people working together for a specific purpose.
From Italian 'squadra' meaning 'square' (since military units formed square formations), from Latin 'exquadrare' meaning 'to square'. The word entered English military terminology and expanded to police, sports, and other team contexts. The geometric origin reflects how organized groups once literally arranged themselves.
Military squads were literally square-shaped formations of soldiers, which is why the word 'squad' comes from the word for 'square'! The shape made sense for ancient warfare—everyone could protect the center and see the commander easily.
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