citadel

noun

cit·​a·​del ˈsi-tə-dᵊl 

-ˌdel

1

: a fortress that commands (see command entry 1 sense 2c) a city

2

: stronghold

… the nation's citadel of health research …

—Constance Holden

a citadel of higher education

Synonyms of citadel

• fortress
• stronghold
• bastion
• fortification
• castle
• fort

Examples of citadel in a Sentence

We visited a medieval citadel in Italy.

a massive stone citadel continues to command the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the song is heavily acoustic, its distorted guitar solos hail squarely from the realm of harder rock, and the artificial choirs that seep in toward the end seem to call out to the symphonic citadels of the Norwegian black metallers. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026

One of the oldest citadels in the Middle East, Jerash has seen an unbroken chain of human occupation since the Bronze Age. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026

Paton, 52, was in Peru with his wife to hike the Inca Trail, a popular route that ends at Machu Picchu, a citadel built by the Incas in the 15th century. — Sam Peters, CNN Money, 22 May 2026

In 1928, the original owners took over a hotel that was mere feet across one of the narrow cobblestone streets that make up the citadel and added 48, keeping the neo-Gothic style, including pretty leaded windows. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for citadel

• bagatelle
• calomel
• caravel
• carousel
• carrousel
• clientele
• commonweal
• coronel
• decibel
• demoiselle
• fontanelle
• hydrocele

Kids Definition

citadel

noun

cit·​a·​del ˈsit-əd-ᵊl 

-ə-ˌdel

1

: a fortress that sits high above a city

2

: a strong fortress