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bastion

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bas⋅tion

  [bas-chuhn, -tee-uhn]
Use bastion in a Sentence
–noun
1. Fortification. a projecting portion of a rampart or fortification that forms an irregular pentagon attached at the base to the main work.
2. a fortified place.
3. anything seen as preserving or protecting some quality, condition, etc.: a bastion of solitude; a bastion of democracy.
Origin:
1590–1600; < MF < It bastione, equiv. to Upper It bastí(a) bastion, orig., fortified, built (c. It bastita, ptp. of bastire to build < Gmc; see baste 1 ) + -one aug. suffix

Related forms:
bas⋅tion⋅ar⋅y  [bas-chuh-ner-ee] , adjective
bastioned, adjective

Synonyms:
2. fortress, fort, bulwark, stronghold, citadel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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bas·tion   (bās'chən, -tē-ən)   
n.  

  1. A projecting part of a fortification.

  2. A well-fortified position.

  3. One that is considered similar to a defensive stronghold: You are a bastion of strength. See Synonyms at bulwark.


[French, from Old French bastillon, from bastille, fortress; see bastille.]
bas'tioned adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

bastion 
1562, from M.Fr. bastillon, dim. of O.Fr. bastille "fortress, tower," from O.Prov. bastir "build," orig. "make with bast" (see baste (1)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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