brigade English · revision 14988

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1634}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /brɪˈɡeɪd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|brigade|t=body of soldiers]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) from [[it|brigata|t=troop, company, crowd]], from [[m|it|brigare|t=to brawl, fight]], from [[m|it|briga|t=strife, quarrel]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) which may be Celtic, compare [[cy|bri|t=power]],^(Etymonline)^(Collins 2023) or Germanic, related to the root of [[break]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A subdivision of an army: 1634 in Merriam-Webster, 1637 in Barnhart and the OED, the 1630s in Etymonline.^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A company or crew of people (before 1649) is an obsolete sense.^(OED 1989) A band of people organized for a purpose, such as fighting fires, is from 1806,^(OED 1989) as in the ''fire brigade''.^(Collins 2023) The verb, to form into a brigade, is from 1781 in Merriam-Webster, 1805 in the OED.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989) Brigadier is from 1678.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1634 – a brigade.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1678 – brigadier.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1781 – to brigade (verb).^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1806 – an organized band.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A military unit smaller than a division, made of several battalions and usually commanded by a [[brigadier]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A group of people organized for a task: ''a rescue brigade''.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To form into a brigade, or to group together.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[interbrigade]]

+ * [[subbrigade]]

+ * [[bucket brigade]]

+ * [[fire brigade]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[brigadier]]

+ * [[brigadier general]]

+ * [[brigand]]

+ * [[brig]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}