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
Constance Holdena citadel of higher education
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
Peru’s most famous archaeological site is Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel built in the Andes Mountains in the 15th century.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Puerto Rico Guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, this 16th-century Spanish citadel is one of the most impressive structures in the Caribbean.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Originally built as a Byzantine citadel, it was reworked into its present Gothic form by the crusading Knights of St John when Rhodes served as the headquarters of their grand master.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Prague Castle, Czech Republic Prague’s imposing citadel is also one of the few castles anywhere in the world that still boasts real political power — the official residence of the president of the Czech Republic.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for citadel
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Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Puerto Rico Guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, this 16th-century Spanish citadel is one of the most impressive structures in the Caribbean.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Originally built as a Byzantine citadel, it was reworked into its present Gothic form by the crusading Knights of St John when Rhodes served as the headquarters of their grand master.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Prague Castle, Czech Republic Prague’s imposing citadel is also one of the few castles anywhere in the world that still boasts real political power — the official residence of the president of the Czech Republic.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for citadel
Cite this Entry
“Citadel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citadel. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
citadel
noun
cit·a·del
ˈsit-əd-ᵊl
-ə-ˌdel
1
: a fortress that sits high above a city
2
: a strong fortress
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