bastille

See also: Bastille

English

WOTD – 14 July 2011

Alternative forms

Etymology

From French bastille, from Late Latin bastilia, plural of bastile, from bastire (to build).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): [bæˈstɪəɫ], [bæˈstiːɫ]
  • (file)

Noun

bastille (plural bastilles)

  1. A castle tower, or fortified building; a small citadel or fortress.
  2. A prison or jail.
    • 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, I.2:
      Thither arriv'd, th' advent'rous Knight / And bold Squire from their Steeds alight, / At th' outward Wall, near which there stands / A Bastile, built t' imprison Hands [...].

Translations

Anagrams


French

Etymology

From Medieval Latin bastilia, plural of bastile, from Medieval Latin bastīre (to build, sew).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bastij/
  • Rhymes: -ij

Noun

bastille f (plural bastilles)

  1. fortress

Further reading

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.