turret

American  

[tur-it, tuhr-] / ˈtɜr ɪt, ˈtʌr- /

noun

1. a small tower, usually one forming part of a larger structure.

2. a small tower at an angle of a building, as of a castle or fortress, frequently beginning some distance above the ground.

3. Also called turrethead.  a pivoted attachment on a lathe or the like for holding a number of tools, each of which can be presented to the work in rapid succession by a simple rotating movement.

4. Military. a domelike, sometimes heavily armored structure, usually revolving horizontally, within which guns are mounted, as on a fortification, ship, or aircraft.

5. Fortification. a tall structure, usually moved on wheels, formerly employed in breaching or scaling a fortified place, a wall, or the like.

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turret British  

/ ˈtʌrɪt /

noun

1. a small tower that projects from the wall of a building, esp a medieval castle

2. 1. a self-contained structure, capable of rotation, in which weapons are mounted, esp in tanks and warships

   2. a similar structure on an aircraft that houses one or more guns and sometimes a gunner

3. a tall wooden tower on wheels used formerly by besiegers to scale the walls of a fortress

4. (on a machine tool) a turret-like steel structure with tools projecting radially that can be indexed round to select or to bring each tool to bear on the work

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Other Word Forms

• turretless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of turret

1300–50; Middle English turet < Middle French turete, equivalent to tur tower ¹ + -ete -et

Explanation

A turret is a small tower that is taller than the rest of the building. The long-haired fairy tale heroine Rapunzel had to stay in a turret. The classic turret is perched at the very top of a stone castle and is often small and rounded, with tiny windows. Another meaning of turret is the structure on a tank or fort that's heavily protected with armor and contains a gun. Often this kind of turret is rounded and can rotate, in order to fire in different directions.

Example Sentences

Words become a texture of stasis, as when “winding” and “whirring” are repeated multiple times to describe Thorn Rose’s climb to the turret where she finds the fatal spindle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The turret operator on the truck told investigators he heard the controller’s calls to stop but didn’t know who the transmission was intended for until the truck had already entered the runway, the report said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Traitors are often awake until the wee hours filming turret scenes.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

In Friday's episode, the row continued in the turret, with Rachel accusing Fiona of "throwing a grenade" into the team of traitors, while Fiona accused her of "playing a game" for herself.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

He came next to a window looking east and another torch above the door to a passage through the middle of the turret.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Related Words

• minaret
• spire
• steeple