citadel

cit·a·del

noun \ˈsi-tə-d^əl, -ˌdel\

Definition of CITADEL

1

: a fortress that commands a city

2

: stronghold <the nation's citadel of health research — Constance Holden> <a citadel of higher education>

Examples of CITADEL

1. We visited a medieval citadel in Italy.
2. <a massive stone citadel continues to command the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia>

Origin of CITADEL

Middle French citadelle, from Old Italian cittadella, diminutive of cittade city, from Medieval Latin civitat-, civitas — more at city

First Known Use: 1562

Related to CITADEL

Synonyms: bastion, castle, fort, fastness, fortification, fortress, hold, redoubt, stronghold

Related Words: battlement, breastwork, bulwark, earthwork, embattlement, parapet, rampart; bunker, dugout; blockhouse, garrison house; alcazar, casbah (also kasbah)

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Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

Rhymes with CITADEL

APL, Appenzell, aquarelle, asphodel, Azazel, bagatelle, barbicel, béchamel, brocatelle, Camberwell, caramel, caravel, carousel, cascabel, chanterelle, chaparral, Charles Martel, clientele, cockleshell, Cozumel, decibel, demoiselle, diving bell, fare-thee-well, fontanel, immortelle, Jezebel, killer cell, kiss-and-tell, lenticel, mangonel, muscatel, ne'er-do-well, Neuchâtel, Neufchâtel, New Rochelle, nonpareil, organelle, oversell, parallel, pedicel, pennoncel, personnel, petronel, Philomel, pimpernel, rebel yell, red blood cell, Sanctus bell, San Rafael, São Miguel, show-and-tell, sickle cell, silver bell, solar cell, tortoiseshell, undersell, villanelle, white blood cell, William Tell, zinfandel