sortie
/sɔˈti/ · sor·tie
noun
- An attack made by troops from a besieged position. The defenders launched a surprise sortie to repel the enemy's advance.
- An operational flight carried out by a single military aircraft. Russia said it carried out 55 sorties in the last 24 hours.
- An attacking move. The team's surprise sortie in the second half turned the game around.
verb
- To sally. The troops were ordered to sortie from their positions and engage the enemy.
Did you know? The term 'sortie' is often used in military contexts to describe a single aircraft's mission, but it can also refer to a group of aircraft carrying out a coordinated attack.