Bastion
/ˈbæs.ti.ən/noun
A projecting part of a fortification built to defend adjacent walls.
Did you know?The word entered English through French from Italian military architecture, and its older forms are tied to the idea of a defensive stronghold rather than any mystical meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
bastire
“to build, construct”
Old Italian
It
bastione
“a large defensive work or bulwark”
Middle French
MF
bastion
“a projecting part of a fortification”
16th Century
English
bastion
“a fortified outwork or projection on a wall”
Modern English
English
bastion
“a strongly defended place or one that protects a belief, cause, or tradition”