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citadel - 4 dictionary results

cit⋅a⋅del

  [sit-uh-dl, -uh-del]
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–noun
1. a fortress that commands a city and is used in the control of the inhabitants and in defense during attack or siege.
2. any strongly fortified place; stronghold.
3. (formerly) a heavily armored structure on a warship, for protecting the engines, magazines, etc.
Origin:
1580–90; < MF citadelle < OIt cittadella, equiv. to cittad(e) city + -ella -elle
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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cit·a·del   (sĭt'ə-dəl, -děl')   
n.  
  1. A fortress in a commanding position in or near a city.
  2. A stronghold or fortified place; a bulwark.

[French citadelle, from Italian cittadella, diminutive of città, city, from Latin cīvitās; see city.]
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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Citadel

Cit"a*del\, n. [F. citadelle, It. citadella, di?. of citt? city, fr. L. civitas. See City.] A fortress in or near a fortified city, commanding the city and fortifications, and intended as a final point of defense.

Syn. -- Stronghold. See Fortress.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : citadel
Spanish: ciudadela,
German: die Zitadelle,
Japanese: とりで
More Translations »

citadel 
1586, "fortress commanding a city," from It. cittadella, dim. of cittade "city," from L. civitatem (see city).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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