A platoon is a military unit usually made up of about 30 to 50 soldiers, led by a lieutenant. Think of it as a team size between a small squad and a larger company. In the military's organization, several squads combine to form a platoon, and several platoons combine to form a company.

Soldiers in the same platoon train together, work together, and depend on each other. They learn each other's strengths and become a coordinated team, much like how a soccer team practices together until everyone knows their position and trusts their teammates. The difference is that platoons train for serious missions where lives depend on that coordination.

Outside the military, people sometimes use platoon to describe any organized group working toward a common goal. A coach might divide a large sports team into platoons for different drills, or a teacher might organize students into platoons for a complex group project. The word carries the sense of a tight-knit unit where everyone has a role and works together as one.