palisade

American  

[pal-uh-seyd] / ˌpæl əˈseɪd /

noun

• palisades
  plural

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 British  

/ 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

Derived Forms

• unpalisaded
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• palisades
  plural

Etymology

Origin of palisade

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

Explanation

A palisade is a heavy-duty fence that's strong enough to keep out intruders, like one you might see around a military camp. Traditionally, palisades were built with wooden stakes around small forts or castles as a way to keep out enemies. There's evidence that this kind of fence was often used in ancient Greece and Rome. More modern palisades are made out of metal and give protection to houses in dangerous neighborhoods, for example. The root word is the Latin palus, which means "stake."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

palisade palisades palisaded palisading

At Amnya, her team also noted a possible sign of social stratification, another development often linked to agriculture: a cluster of houses that sat, undefended, outside the palisade.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 29, 2023

The numerous small bumps in the palisade parenchyma cells are chloroplasts.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Eight stories tall, Solaris features a sleek palisade of broad teak-covered decks suitable for hosting a horde of well-heeled partygoers.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2022

Leaving the small white airport, we passed a palisade of organ pipe cactuses.

From New York Times ● Nov. 11, 2021

Captain Smith finds me using a hatchet to sharpen palisade post tips.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

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 ● Nov. 29, 2023

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 ● Jul. 8, 2022

The trolley ran along the bluff overlooking the palisades of the Potomac.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 6, 2021

Survivors from his expedition described large towns of thatched houses, surrounded by strong palisades and watchtowers.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 18, 2018

How will we protect ourselves, with no palisades?

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Last March, Historic St. Mary’s City announced that the outlines of the palisaded fort, erected by White settlers in 1634, had finally been discovered.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 23, 2022

When the Griffon sailed, Father Melithon Watteaux was left behind in the little palisaded house at Niagara as chaplain.

From Old Trails on the Niagara Frontier by Frank H. Severance

In the more exposed localities the houses of the tenants were built together in palisaded villages.

From The Colonization of North America 1492-1783 by Herbert Eugene Bolton

She was the first to set foot upon the narrow strip surrounding the moat and beyond which rose the palisaded entrenchment.

From The Executioner's Knife Or Joan of Arc by Eug?ne Sue

Its two-mile-long moat was lined by palisaded walls accented by towers.

From Virginia Architecture in the Seventeenth Century by Henry Chandlee Forman

Traversing the path with rapid footsteps we soon reached the palisading which inclosed the garden, passed through the gate, and found ourselves in sight of the house.

From The Congo Rovers A Story of the Slave Squadron by J. Schonberg

Haliburton116 mentions the difficulty that the governor had to employ the settlers by sending them out on various expeditions, in palisading the town, and in other public works.

From The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism. Volume 1 by Frederick Whymper

Half-closed redoubt for infantry—Platforms for machine-guns at angles—Wrought-iron palisading at bottom of ditch.

From Spies of the Kaiser Plotting the Downfall of England by William Le Queux

The dying watch-fires were speedily fanned into flame; hundreds of fire-brands flew into the dry planks of the palisading.

From A Struggle for Rome, Vol. 2 (of 3) by Felix Dahn

To reach this from Ollerton one crosses the bridge, turns to the right for a few yards, then on the left sees beyond a stout palisading the celebrated Beech Avenue.

From The Dukeries by E. W. Haslehust