enfilade

1 of 2

noun

en·​fi·​lade ˈen-fə-ˌlād 

-ˌläd

1

: an interconnected group of rooms arranged usually in a row with each room opening into the next

2

: gunfire directed from a flanking position along the length of an enemy battle line

enfilade

2 of 2

verb

enfiladed; enfilading

transitive verb

: to rake or be in a position to rake with gunfire in a lengthwise direction

Examples of enfilade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Behind the enfilade is the kitchen, stairs, and bathrooms, as well as the lift for accessing the main building, whose owner bought to serve as an office. — New Atlas, 19 July 2026

Along with the living and dining rooms, the den and, beyond that, a study, comprise an enfilade of four rooms, each with a tiled fireplace. — Mark David, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2026

Verb

Hood directed artillery fire under enfilading machine-gun fire. — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 June 2025

Bodies were disfigured by thundering artillery bombardments and the scythe-like enfilade fire from machine guns. — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 June 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from enfiler to thread, enfilade, from Old French, to thread, from en- + fil thread — more at file

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for enfilade

• amphipod
• arthropod
• copepod
• decapod
• endopod
• escalade
• esplanade
• exopod
• gastropod
• goldenrod
• isopod
• ostracod