ETYM Spanish flotilla, dim. of flota fleet; akin to French flotte, Italian flotta, and French flot wave, from Latin fluctus, but prob. influenced by words akin to Eng. float. Related to Fluctuate, Float.
1. A United States Navy fleet consisting of two or more squadrons of small warships.
2. A fleet of small craft.
Verband aus kleineren Schiffen, bes. von Kriegsfahrzeugen.