Presidio
name, noun ·4 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A garrisoned place, especially one that is or was once under Spanish control.
"While De Anza was exploring the Bay of San Francisco, seeking a site for the presidio, the American colonists on the eastern seaboard, three thousand miles away, were celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence."
- 2 a fortress established in the southwestern United States by the Spanish in order to protect their missions and other holdings wordnet
- 1 A city in Presidio County, Texas, United States, on the border with Mexico.
Example
More examples"While De Anza was exploring the Bay of San Francisco, seeking a site for the presidio, the American colonists on the eastern seaboard, three thousand miles away, were celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence."
Etymology
From Spanish presidio (“garrison”), from Latin praesidium, 1763. Doublet of praesidium and presidium.
Shortened from Presidio del Norte, the name given in 1830. Known as La Junta de los Ríos prior to that.
Related phrases
More for "presidio"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.