Definition of citadel
1 : a fortress that commands (see 1command 2c) a city
2 : stronghold the nation's citadel of health research — Constance Holden a citadel of higher education
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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 of citadel from the Web
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Demining operations continue in some parts of the sprawling Palmyra complex, which includes a large necropolis and medieval-era citadel outside the old city walls.
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The reveal of Dis, the massive city of the dead, is striking: Just before Dante batters down the doors and starts trashing the place, the camera pulls back to reveal the citadel’s smoldering walls.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'citadel'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of citadel
Medieval French citadelle, from Old Italian cittadella, diminutive of cittade city, from Medieval Latin civitat-, civitas — more at city
First Known Use: 1542
CITADEL Defined for English Language Learners
citadel
playDefinition of citadel for English Language Learners
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: a castle or fort that in past times was used to protect the people of a city if the city was attacked
CITADEL Defined for Kids
citadel
playDefinition of citadel for Students
: a fortress that sits high above a city
Learn More about citadel
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See words that rhyme with citadel Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for citadel Spanish Central: Translation of citadel Nglish: Translation of citadel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of citadel for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about citadel
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