Patrol
/pəˈtroʊl/noun
A person or group of people sent to keep watch or maintain security, or the act of doing so.
Did you know?Patrol entered English through French military usage, and its earliest sense was closely tied to soldiers moving about on foot to inspect and guard an area.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*trep-
“to turn, tread, or step”
Latin
Latin
tripudiare
“to dance or stamp the feet; to move in a stepping motion”
Late Latin
Latin
patrōlare
“to walk the rounds; to go on foot in watchful duty”
French
Old French
patrouiller
“to prowl or make the rounds as a guard”
16th Century
English
patrol
“a guard or watch party moving about on duty”
Modern English
English
patrol
“a person or group assigned to keep watch, or the act of doing so”