citadel

American  

[sit-uh-dl, -uh-del] / ˈsɪt ə dl, -əˌdɛl /

noun

• citadels
  plural

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.

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citadel British  

/ -ˌdɛl, ˈsɪtədəl /

noun

1. a stronghold within or close to a city

2. any strongly fortified building or place of safety; refuge

3. a specially strengthened part of the hull of a warship

4. (often capital) the headquarters of the Salvation Army

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• citadels
  plural

Etymology

Origin of citadel

1580–90; < Middle French citadelle < Old Italian cittadella, equivalent to cittad ( e ) city + -ella -elle

Explanation

A citadel is a fortified structure designed to provide protection during a battle. So, back in the days when pillaging was commonplace, it was a good idea to know where your nearest citadel was. Among the most historically famous citadels are the Acropolis in Athens and the Tower of London. Even though we're building fewer physical fortresses these days, citadel remains a useful word, particularly when you need to create a metaphor suggesting strength and safety. As poet John Keats wrote, "[I]t appears to me that almost any man may like the spider spin from his own inwards his own airy citadel."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

citadel citadels

It is a literal citadel with a natural, crystal-blue moat surrounding it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

For 15 years, the former Communist official shaped the capital in his image, ordering it to be rebuilt as a marble citadel complete with a towering gold statue of himself.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

Among AEG’s recent developments is the IG Arena in the outer citadel of Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Japan, where sports and entertainment events, including sumo wrestling, are held.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2025

Peru is home to many of the Americas' most significant archaeological discoveries, including the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Andes and the mysterious Nazca Lines etched into the desert along the central coast.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2025

It put Lazlo in mind of the way they avoided looking at the citadel itself.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Wakanda: With a wave of his hand, he’ll evoke lush jungles and shimmering citadels as the film “Black Panther” screens overhead.

From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2023

Lebanon has five other sites on UNESCO's World Heritage list, most of them citadels and ancient temples.

From Reuters ● Feb. 5, 2023

As they moved southward along the continent’s coast, they established citadels on land leased from local rulers, like the fortress of Elmina, located on the coast of present-day Ghana.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

I think the retreat from the Lost Cause has also meant a kind of raising of new citadels around the idea of the nation.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2021

Now a few affluent evangelicals are directing their attention and money at some of the tallest citadels of the secular elite: Ivy League universities.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• bastion
• fortification
• fortress