✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

martello tower

noun

mar·​tel·​lo tower mär-ˈte-lō- How to pronounce martello tower (audio)
variants often Martello tower
: a circular masonry fort or blockhouse

Word History

Etymology

Cape Mortella, Corsica

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of martello tower was in 1803

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Martello tower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martello%20tower. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!