Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “battlement” come from?

Battlement comes from Old French bataillement, which derived from Old French bastillement, itself from Old French bastillier, ultimately from Old French bastille.

battlement (English): In fortification: an indented parapet, formed by...

Definitions

  1. In fortification: an indented parapet, formed by...

Ancestry of “battlement”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbataillement—
2Old Frenchbastillementbattlement; fortification
3Old Frenchbastillierto fortify, to equip with battlements
4Old Frenchbastillefortress

Words derived from “battlement”

  • battlemented
  • unbattlemented
Every word from Old French bastille →