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cantonment

American  
[kan-ton-muhnt, -tohn-, kan-toon-muhnt] / kænˈtɒn mənt, -ˈtoʊn-, kænˈtun mənt /

noun

  1. a camp, usually of large size, where men are trained for military service.

  2. military quarters.

  3. the winter quarters of an army.


cantonment British  
/ kənˈtuːnmənt /

noun

  1. a large training camp

  2. living accommodation, esp the winter quarters of a campaigning army

  3. history a permanent military camp in British India

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cantonment

1750–60; < French cantonnement, equivalent to cantonne ( r ) to quarter troops ( see canton) + -ment -ment


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.

See Examples For:

A few walked alone, their faces frozen in shock, as helicopters landed every few minutes on a football field inside the town's military cantonment, whipping up clouds of dust.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Every year, Ambala, a British colonial-era army cantonment, has typically drawn hundreds of youth into the military with the prospect of lifetime employment.

From Reuters ● Sep. 7, 2022

The incident occurred at Mathura cantonment railway station in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2022

The remains were sent to Barrackpore, India, another British cantonment area and temporarily interred.

From Washington Times ● May 29, 2017

Major Waite was in command of the cantonment from which the relief party was sent when the news came that Barclay and his little detachment were "corralled."

From A Trooper Galahad by Charles King

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