1a. A military unit consisting of a variable number of combat battalions or regiments. b. A U.S. Army administrative and tactical unit composed of a headquarters unit, at least one unit of infantry or armor or both, and designated support units. A brigade can be commanded by a brigadier general or by a colonel. 2. A group of persons organized for a specific purpose: formed a bucket brigade to carry water to the fire.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: bri·gad·ed, bri·gad·ing, bri·gades To form into a brigade.
ETYMOLOGY:
French, from Old French, company, from Old Italian brigata, from brigare, to fight, from briga, strife, of Celtic origin. See gwer-1 in Appendix I.
br
-g
d
-1 in Appendix I.
