outpost
[ out-pohst ]
/ ˈaʊtˌpoʊst /
noun
a station established at a distance from the main body of an army to protect it from surprise attack: We keep only a small garrison of men at our desert outposts.
the body of troops stationed there; detachment or perimeter guard.
an outlying settlement, installation, position, etc.
RELATED CONTENT
The Most Surprisingly Serendipitous Words Of The DayIn Part II of our lexical stroll down memory lane (see Part I (1999–2008) here), we will be examining word selections from 2009–2018, unearthing serendipitous synchronicities and offering perspicacious perspectives into notable events and trends of the last decade.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
outplacement, outplay, outpoint, outport, outporter, outpost, outpour, outpouring, outpull, output, outrace
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for outpost
British Dictionary definitions for outpost
outpost
/ (ˈaʊtˌpəʊst) /
noun
military
- a position stationed at a distance from the area occupied by a major formation
- the troops assigned to such a position
an outlying settlement or position
a limit or frontier
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 outpost
outpost
1757, "military position detached from the main body of troops," from out + post (n.2). Originally in George Washington's letters. Commercial sense of "trading settlement near a frontier" is from 1802. Phrase outpost of Empire (by 1895) in later use often echoes Kipling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper