turret

noun

tur·​ret ˈtər-ət How to pronounce turret (audio)
ˈtə-rət,
ˈtu̇r-ət How to pronounce turret (audio)
1
: a little tower
specifically : an ornamental structure at an angle of a larger structure
2
a(1)
: a revolving armored structure on a warship that protects one or more guns mounted within it
(2)
: a similar upper structure usually for one gun on a tank
(3)
: a gunner's fixed or movable enclosure in an airplane
b
: a tall building usually moved on wheels and formerly used for carrying soldiers and equipment for breaching or scaling a wall
3
a
: a pivoted and revolvable holder in a machine tool
b
: a device (as on a microscope or a television camera) holding several lenses

Examples of turret in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The resort appears as a dramatic neo-gothic castle with its turrets and gables perched on a hill overlooking Lake St Moritz. Jim Dobson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The soldier was not there for the tank’s engine or turret or treads. Thomas Gibbons-Neff Finbarr O’Reilly, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2024 This beachfront hotel becomes a shimmering holiday dream each year, with its iconic red turrets covered with lights and a magnificent Christmas tree. Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2023 On the right side of the turret there’s a launcher for two Spike LR fire-and-forget top-attack anti-tank missiles ranging up to three miles. David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Note the drone and cruise missile kill markings on the turret. Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 1 Sep. 2023 Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented Seismic Slam's damage from going through turrets. Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Note the new side door, the six rails on the stub wing with two rockets pods mounted, and the elements of the Vitebsk self defense system including directional infrared jamming turrets on the wingtip and tail. Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 30 Aug. 2023 Though the site dates to 1333, its bones have undergone many renovations; today it's made up of a network of 83 buildings, including turrets, storehouses, and residences that were used until the 1860s. Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turret.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English touret, from Anglo-French turette, tourette, diminutive of tur, tour tower — more at tower

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of turret was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near turret

Cite this Entry

“Turret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turret. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

turret

noun
tur·​ret ˈtər-ət How to pronounce turret (audio) ˈtə-rət How to pronounce turret (audio)
tu̇r-ət
1
: a little tower often at a corner of a building
2
: a low usually rotating structure (as in a tank, warship, or airplane) in which guns are mounted

More from Merriam-Webster on turret

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