palisade

[pal-uh-seyd]

noun

1. a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground, as for enclosure or defense.

2. any of a number of pales or stakes pointed at the top and set firmly in the ground in a close row with others to form a defense.

3. Botany.,  palisade parenchyma.

4. palisades, a line of cliffs.

verb (used with object)

palisaded, palisading 

1. to furnish or fortify with a palisade.

palisade

/ ˌpælɪˈseɪd /

noun

1. a strong fence made of stakes driven into the ground, esp for defence

2. one of the stakes used in such a fence

3. botany a layer of elongated mesophyll cells containing many chloroplasts, situated below the outer epidermis of a leaf blade

verb

1. (tr) to enclose with a palisade

Other Word Forms

• unpalisaded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of palisade¹

1590–1600; < French palissade < Old Provençal palissada, equivalent to paliss ( a ) paling (derivative of pal stake, pale ² ) + -ada -ade ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of palisade¹

C17: via French, from Old Provençal palissada, ultimately from Latin pālus stake; see _pale ², _pole ¹

Example Sentences

“At Vasagård the deposition of the engraved stones correlates with a change from activities centred on the causewayed enclosure to new rituals taking place in small, circular cult houses inside wooden palisades,” the authors write.

From Salon

With room inside for dozens of people and dwellings sunk almost 2 meters deep for warmth in Siberian winters, the fortresses were ringed by earthen walls several meters high and topped with wooden palisades.

From Science Magazine

Buckingham Palace was taken aback, and it responded with a terse, 61-word statement that sought to contain the drama within the familiar royal palisade of privacy.

From New York Times

No one wants to tell President Wingfield that he was wrong and Captain Smith was right about building a palisade, I think.

From Literature

The noodle house may be hard to find because it’s literally overshadowed by the palisades of the Great Wall Shopping Mall nearby.

From Seattle Times