Illustration of castle
- 1 fortified approach
- 2 moat
- 3 drawbridge
- 4 ward
- 5 angle tower
- 6 donjon or keep
- 7 chapel
- 8 gallery
1
a
: a large fortified building or set of buildings
b
: a massive or imposing house
2
: a retreat safe against intrusion or invasion
3
castled; castling
ˈka-s(ə-)liŋ 
: to move a chess king two squares toward a rook and in the same move the rook to the square next past the king
Synonyms
Examples of castle in a Sentence
Noun
Millionaires built their castles along the lake.
the implacable attackers placed the castle under a prolonged siege
Recent Examples on the Web
Shon Faye, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2023
The kit comes with pieces to build the Hogwarts castle and five minifigures of Harry, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and the Gray Lady, along with additional wands and broomsticks.
—Casey Clark, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
The tale begins in another castle, this one in the island kingdom of Rosas, a cosmopolitan Mediterranean melting pot whose Moorish architecture evokes the Iberian peninsula, populated by people of many skin tones, and with a culture that blends the influence of Islamic Africa with Spain and beyond.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Photograph: Ian Bates A camera offers the illusion of a private sentry, serving you and your castle.
—Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023
Hilltop castles and fortifications around the world testify to the topographical advantages long recognized by human strategists.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Casa Loma, one of a handful of castles in North America, are favorites for little ones.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2023
Here, in a setting that combines steakhouse style with a fairytale castle, the menu highlights timeless American cuisine.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023
The shelters still dot the road like toy castles, their playful exteriors masking scorched interiors and the lingering stench of slaughter.
—Isabel Kershner Amit Elkayam, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Dylan Loeb McClain, New York Times, 27 May 2023
This is the real point of the combination as now Black will not be able to castle and White can pretty much at his leisure, build up an attack.
—Chris Chase, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2018
Now Black cannot castle kingside after Be3 and Qd2.)
—Michael Ciamarra, AL.com, 11 June 2017
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Noun
The limestone and turrets that adorn the 13th-century castle of Domaine des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection, located in the charming village of Massignac, look like something lifted straight from a fairy tale.
—Shon Faye, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2023
The kit comes with pieces to build the Hogwarts castle and five minifigures of Harry, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and the Gray Lady, along with additional wands and broomsticks.
—Casey Clark, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
The tale begins in another castle, this one in the island kingdom of Rosas, a cosmopolitan Mediterranean melting pot whose Moorish architecture evokes the Iberian peninsula, populated by people of many skin tones, and with a culture that blends the influence of Islamic Africa with Spain and beyond.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Photograph: Ian Bates A camera offers the illusion of a private sentry, serving you and your castle.
—Lauren Smiley, WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023
Hilltop castles and fortifications around the world testify to the topographical advantages long recognized by human strategists.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Casa Loma, one of a handful of castles in North America, are favorites for little ones.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2023
Here, in a setting that combines steakhouse style with a fairytale castle, the menu highlights timeless American cuisine.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023
The shelters still dot the road like toy castles, their playful exteriors masking scorched interiors and the lingering stench of slaughter.
—Isabel Kershner Amit Elkayam, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Verb
For example, pawns could not move two squares on their first turn, and there was no similar rule for castling.
—Dylan Loeb McClain, New York Times, 27 May 2023
This is the real point of the combination as now Black will not be able to castle and White can pretty much at his leisure, build up an attack.
—Chris Chase, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2018
Now Black cannot castle kingside after Be3 and Qd2.)
—Michael Ciamarra, AL.com, 11 June 2017
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'castle.' 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
Noun
Middle English castel, from Old English, from Old French & Latin; Old French dialect (Norman-Picard) castel, from Latin castellum fortress, diminutive of castrum fortified place; perhaps akin to Latin castrare to castrate
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1587, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of castle was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing castle
Articles Related to castle
Dictionary Entries Near castle
Cite this Entry
“Castle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castle. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
castle
noun
cas·tle
ˈkas-əl
1
a
: a large building or group of buildings usually having high walls with towers and a surrounding moat for protection
b
: a large or impressive house
2
Etymology
Noun
Middle English castel "castle," from early French castel (same meaning), from Latin castellum "castle, fortress" — related to château
More from Merriam-Webster on castle
Nglish: Translation of castle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of castle for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about castle
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