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echelon (noun, verb) –

noun

1a (1) : an arrangement of a body of troops with its units each somewhat to the left or right of the one in the rear like a series of steps
   (2) : a formation of units or individuals resembling such an echelon – geese flying in echelon
   (3) : a flight formation in which each aeroplane flies at a certain elevation above or below and at a certain distance behind and to the right or left of the aeroplane ahead
      b : any of several military units in echelon formation also : any unit or group acting in a disciplined or organized manner

2a : one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity
 b : a group of individuals at a particular level or grade in an organization or field of activity

verb

: to form or arrange in an echelon
: to take position in an echelon

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Echelon is a useful word for anyone who is climbing the ladder of success. It traces back to scala, a Late Latin word meaning “ladder” that was the ancestor of the Old French eschelon, meaning “rung of a ladder.” Over time, the French word (which is échelon in Modern French) came to mean “step,” “grade,” or “level.” When it was first borrowed into English in the 18th century, echelon referred specifically to a steplike arrangement of troops, but it now usually refers to a level or category within an organization or group of people.

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