flotilla
noun
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Flotilla comes from the diminutive form of the Spanish noun flota, meaning "fleet." Flota derives via Old French from Old Norse floti and is related to Old English flota (meaning "ship" or "fleet"), an ancestor to English's float. Much like other words referring to groups of particular things (such as swarm), flotilla has taken on expanded usage to refer simply to a large number of something not necessarily having to do with nautical matters, often with humorous effect (e.g., "a flotilla of rather mature-looking male models" — Jed Perl, The New Republic).
Examples of flotilla in a Sentence
Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
At press time a spokesperson for Israel’s defense forces and foreign ministry had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the interception of the flotilla or confirmation that Stína was among those detained.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
The Israeli army intercepted a new aid flotilla bound for Gaza that included a number of Americans on Wednesday, days after the detention of activists on board a high-profile flotilla fueled international outrage.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
Israeli naval ships intercepted a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza and detained several activists, including Greta Thunberg.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotilla
Cite this Entry
“Flotilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flotilla. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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flotilla
noun
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