fortification
[fawr-tuh-fi-key-shuh n]
- the act of fortifying or strengthening.
- something that fortifies or protects.
- the art or science of constructing defensive military works.
- Often fortifications. military works constructed for the purpose of strengthening a position; a fort: Supposedly impregnable, the fortifications were quickly overrun.
- a strengthening or improvement, as by addition of or intensification with another ingredient: the fortification of milk with vitamin D; the fortification of wine with alcohol.
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Origin of fortification
Synonyms
See more synonyms for fortification on Thesaurus.com4. fortress, citadel, stronghold, bulwark.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for fortification
Contemporary Examples
The first unambiguous evidence of fortification walls dates from around 4300 BC in what is now Turkey.
In July this year, a government inspection warned of “failure of fortification work” and fined the company.
Historical Examples
For what was to come he required the fortification of dinner.
The Mystery of Murray DavenportRobert Neilson Stephens
It was an enormous labor to construct this fortification in the dead of winter.
King PhilipJohn S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
Instruction of the British farmer begins with the fortification of his will by confidence.
Another SheafJohn Galsworthy
The palace is extensive, paled round with a sort of a fortification.
The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. DidoHenry Keppel
He purchased and studied works on fortification and military strategy.
The Book-HunterJohn Hill Burton
fortification
- the act, art, or science of fortifying or strengthening
- a wall, mound, etc, used to fortify a place
- such works collectively
- any place that can be militarily defended
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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
Word Origin and History for fortification
n.
early 15c., "strengthening," also "defensive earthworks, tower" (mid-15c.), from Middle French fortification "strengthening, fortification," from Late Latin fortificationem (nominative fortificatio), noun of action from past participle stem of fortificare (see fortify).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper