echelon

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The Word of the Day for June 7 is:

echelon   \ESH-uh-lon\   noun
     1 : a steplike arrangement 
    *2 a : one of a series of levels or grades in an 
organization or field of activity  b : the individuals at such a 
level

Example sentence:
     Capturing her third straight title finally convinced 
critics that Janice belonged in the upper echelon of tennis 
players.

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 "echelon" 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. 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.