Echelon
/ΛΙΚ.Ι.lΙn/noun
A level or rank in an organization, a profession, or society.
Did you know?The term "echelon" originally referred to a step in a staircase, symbolizing the hierarchical structure of both military formations and societal classes, evoking the idea of ascending towards power.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
Old French
eschelon
βa step, rung of a ladderβ
Late Latin
Latin
scala
βladder, staircaseβ
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skel-
βto cut, separate, or divideβ
Middle English
Middle English
eschelon
βa level or degree in a hierarchyβ
Modern English
English
echelon
βa level of command or rank in a military or organizational contextβ