palisade

pal·i·sade | \ ˌpa-lə-ˈsād

How to pronounce palisade (audio)

\

Definition of palisade

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a fence of stakes especially for defense

b : a long strong stake pointed at the top and set close with others as a defense

2 : a line of bold cliffs

palisade

palisaded; palisading

Definition of palisade (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to fortify with palisades

Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about palisade

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Noun

Palisade derives via French from the Latin noun palus, meaning "stake." The word originally applied to one of a series of stakes set in a row to form an enclosure or fortification. "The Palisades" is also the name given to the line of traprock cliffs that stretches for about 15 miles along the western bank of the Hudson River in southeastern New York and northern New Jersey. Purportedly, these cliffs got their name from the resemblance of the tall rocks to rows of stakes or trees, although who exactly came up with the name is a matter of dispute. Before long "palisade" came to refer to any similar formation of tall cliffs.

Examples of palisade in a Sentence

Noun the palisades that line the west bank of the Hudson River for about 15 miles

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Perched on a rocky palisade high above the Danube, the castle is the area’s major tourist attraction. — John Gurda, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Miller Brewing's founder is all but forgotten in his hometown, but one German brewery hasn't given up on 'Old Fred'," 27 Nov. 2019 Over the course of the road trip Wu documented a variety of Bolivian landscapes ranging from sandy deserts to rocky palisades, but the Salar de Uyuni emerged as the highlight. — Wired, "Drawing With Drones Over the Salt Flats of Bolivia," 16 Nov. 2019 The first castles were merely earthen heaps surrounded by a wooden palisade wall. — William Gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "How to Storm a Castle," 11 Apr. 2019 The compound was hidden behind a tall palisade of cactus and purple bougainvillea. — Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 2018 The first castles were merely earthen heaps surrounded by a wooden palisade wall. — William Gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "How to Storm a Castle," 11 Apr. 2019 The compound was hidden behind a tall palisade of cactus and purple bougainvillea. — Junot Díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 2018 Pauger's plans called for the city to be fortified with palisades on all sides. — Mike Scott, NOLA.com, "Meet the man who put the French Quarter on the map (literally)," 14 Dec. 2017 The palisade fabric is similarly unconvincing, Bosak says, because such rock crystal formations could form from non-biological causes, such as after an asteroid impact. — Ben Panko, Smithsonian, "Fossils From Ancient Hot Springs Suggest Life May Have Evolved on Land," 11 May 2017

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about palisade

Listen to Our Podcast about palisade

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Dictionary Entries near palisade

Statistics for palisade

Cite this Entry

“Palisade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palisade. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

bootless

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

More Confusing Words—Quiz

The magician ______ moved the selected card to the top of the deck.

discreetly discretely

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.