# Why does the word "troops" denote both single soldiers and groups?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-word-troops-denote-both-single-soldiers-and-groups/164730>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 28, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-word-troops-denote-both-single-soldiers-and-groups/164730 "2003-03-28T06:16:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-word-troops-denote-both-single-soldiers-and-groups/164730/1 "2003-03-28T06:16:04Z")

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I used to think a “troop” was a bunch of soldiers, yet when I read news accounts, I see phrases like “The U.S. sent 10,000 troops overseas”. I used to be really confused at this (wondering how many soldiers constituted a troop) until I realized they mean 10,000 _individual soldiers_. The dictionary I consulted doesn’t define “troop” as one soldier. Why do the rules of english grammar break down here?

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**Author:** ![mcbiggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@mcbiggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcbiggins)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-word-troops-denote-both-single-soldiers-and-groups/164730/2 "2003-03-28T06:37:22Z")

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WAG, but i know that members of a troop were often referred to as troopers. I can see the media/general public mixing up troopers with troops to the point that its current usage became common.

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**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-word-troops-denote-both-single-soldiers-and-groups/164730/3 "2003-03-28T07:35:02Z")

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It’s late at night, and I’m pretty sure why that’s why I’m going to be the first one to post this:

There is another thread on this topic [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=172945) with more responses.