citadel
Americannoun
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a fortress that commands a city and is used in the control of the inhabitants and in defense during attack or siege.
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any strongly fortified place; stronghold.
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(formerly) a heavily armored structure on a warship, for protecting the engines, magazines, etc.
noun
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a stronghold within or close to a city
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any strongly fortified building or place of safety; refuge
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a specially strengthened part of the hull of a warship
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(often capital) the headquarters of the Salvation Army
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."
Vocabulary lists containing citadel
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The founder and chief executive of hedge fund Citadel, who also owns America's most expensive apartment, said Mamdani was "making it really clear: New York doesn't welcome success".
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Vornado, Citadel and the wealthy Rudin family have a joint venture to build a 62-story, 1.5 million square-foot office tower at 350 Park Avenue, a prime Midtown location.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Griffin, for his part, responded by threatening to yank Citadel from the Park Avenue development project.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
A Citadel spokesperson didn’t comment on the meeting or Griffin’s remarks in Oslo.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
Gandalf dismounted, for no horse was allowed in the Citadel, and Shadowfax suffered himself to be led away at the soft word of his master.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
