abatis

[ab-uh-tee, -tis, uh-bat-ee, uh-bat-is]

noun

plural

abatis, abatises 

1. an obstacle or barricade of trees with bent or sharpened branches directed toward an enemy.

2. a barbed wire entanglement used as an obstacle or barricade against an enemy.

abatis

/ ˈæbətiː, ˈæbətɪs /

noun

1. a rampart of felled trees bound together placed with their branches outwards

2. a barbed-wire entanglement before a position

Word History and Origins

Origin of abatis¹

1760–70; < French; Old French abateis < Vulgar Latin *abatteticius, derivative of Old French abattre ( abate )

Word History and Origins

Origin of abatis¹

C18: from French, from abattre to fell

Example Sentences

The defenses consisted of two lines of abatis and a line of earthworks manned by Brig.

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Our men worked their way through the abatis of trees, took the outer line of rifle-pits, and bivouacked within the enemy's lines.

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On the right hand, in particular, were romantic forest scenes; a wilderness of fallen trees, which the floods and storms had thrown and piled upon each other, like an abatis.

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Between the stretch of forest and Couch was an open; spreading across the roads, and at Casey’s front, was another open, though more limited, some abatis being arranged along their front lines.

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They soon reached the counterscarp under a heavy and constant fire from the redoubt, and, surmounting the abatis, ditch, and palisades, mounted the parapet and leaped into the work.

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