Echelon

 WORD OF THE DAY

echelon / noun / ESH-uh-lahn

Definition
1a: 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
1b: a formation of units or individuals resembling such an echelon
1c: a flight formation in which each airplane flies at a certain elevation above or below and at a certain distance behind and to the right or left of the airplane ahead
1d: any of several military units in echelon formation
1e: 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
2b: a group of individuals at a particular level or grade in an organization or field of activity

Examples
"[Amy Schneider] is already the highest-earning female contestant in 'Jeopardy!' history and is the first transgender contestant to qualify for the 'Tournament of Champions' round. But she still has a ways to go before further cementing herself in the upper echelons of 'Jeopardy!' history."
— Brian Boyle, SFGate (San Francisco, California), 15 Jan. 2022

There’s a real hunger, togetherness and loyalty fueling Servite’s charge into the upper echelon of the football hierarchy this season.
— Eric Sondheimer Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2021

Did You Know?
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 step-like arrangement of troops, but it now usually refers to a level or category within an organization or group of people.