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
Climb the fortress trail to San Giovanni—a crumbling hilltop citadel that once guarded the city from Ottoman sieges—where the vistas stretch like a myth across fjord-like waters.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was filmed at the Palácio, as well as in the neighboring town of Cascais, about 45 minutes by train from Lisbon and popular for its beaches and 15th-century citadel.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
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
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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Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was filmed at the Palácio, as well as in the neighboring town of Cascais, about 45 minutes by train from Lisbon and popular for its beaches and 15th-century citadel.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
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
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 16 Sep. 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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