bastion

A bastion (1)

First attested in 1562. From French bastion, from Old French bastille (“fortress”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbæsti.ən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbæsti.ən/, /ˈbæstʃən/

• Audio (US)

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  Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Homophone: Bastian

bastion (plural bastions)

1. A projecting part of a rampart or other fortification.
   • 1942, Emily Carr, The Book of Small, "Beginnings,"

     […] Fort Camosun had swelled herself from being a little Hudson's Bay Fort, inside a stockade with bastions at the corners, into being the little town of Victoria, and the capital of British Columbia.

2. A well-fortified position; a stronghold or citadel.
3. (figuratively) A person, group, or thing, that strongly defends some principle.

• bastille
• bastioned

• Bostian, obtains, stiboan

Borrowed from Middle French bastion.

• IPA^(key): /ˌbɑs.tiˈɔn/

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• Hyphenation: bas‧ti‧on
• Rhymes: -ɔn

bastion n (plural bastions, diminutive bastionnetje n)

1. bastion; a projecting part of a rampart

   Synonym: bolwerk

From Middle French bastion, from Old French bastille (“fortress”). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

• IPA^(key): /bas.tjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

bastion m (plural bastions)

1. bastion
2. stronghold

• “bastion” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• snobait

From Italian bastione, via French bastion

bastion m (definite singular bastionen, indefinite plural bastioner, definite plural bastionene)

1. a bastion (part of a fortification; also figurative)

• “bastion” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

From Italian bastione, via French bastion

bastion m (definite singular bastionen, indefinite plural bastionar, definite plural bastionane)

1. a bastion (part of a fortification; also figurative)

• “bastion” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

bastion c

1. bastion; a projecting part of a rampart