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donjon

noun
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don·​jon | \ ˈdän-jən How to pronounce donjon (audio) , ˈdən- How to pronounce donjon (audio) \

Definition of donjon

: a massive inner tower in a medieval castle — see castle illustration

Illustration of donjon

Illustration of donjon

1 donjon

Examples of donjon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web It’s billed as the tallest medieval donjon in Europe. — Nicole Defeudis, BostonGlobe.com, "Visiting Paris? Put this fortified castle in your itinerary," 29 May 2018 However, both donjon and dungeon originally referred to and still refer to, secondarily, a castle keep. — David Dobbs, Slate Magazine, "A Sane Person’s Privacy Nightmare," 25 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'donjon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of donjon

14th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for donjon

Middle English — more at dungeon

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Time Traveler for donjon

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The first known use of donjon was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Donjon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donjon. Accessed 23 Sep. 2020.

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