battlement

noun

bat·​tle·​ment ˈba-tᵊl-mənt 

: a parapet with open spaces that surmounts a wall and is used for defense or decoration

battlemented

ˈba-tᵊl-ˌmen-təd 

adjective

Illustration of battlement

• 1 crenellations
• 2 merlons
• 3 machicolations

Examples of battlement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Daemon brings troops and his dragon Caraxes, but holds out on laying siege for as long as possible, especially as Ormund has stationed children on the battlements and in front of the gates to the city. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

On the wooden battlements of Tumbleton — designed to look like they were jury-rigged by Ormund’s army — the episode’s director, Andrij Parekh, is going through footage where Roddy’s crew breaks through the town’s defensive walls. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

The battlements and beachscapes fill not just the eye but the mind. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026

The flag flies high over the ancient battlements here, where more than 200 years of history send a proud chill. — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English batelment, from Anglo-French *bataillement, from batailler to fortify with battlements — more at battle

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

battlement

noun

bat·​tle·​ment ˈbat-ᵊl-mənt 

: a low wall (as at the top of a castle or a tower) with open spaces to shoot through