Ravelin

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An outwork. A fortification outside a castle used to split an attacking force; composed of two faces, forming a salient angle whose gorge resembles a half-moon

    "It is about 2,500 yards in circuit, is built of red stone, and, according to Von Orlich, is now " a bastioned quinquangle ; the ancient walls with semicircular bastions face the two streams ; the land side is quite regular, and consists of two bastions, and a half-bastion with three ravelins," and stands higher than any ground in face of it."

Etymology

From French ravelin, from Italian rivellino, of unclear origin: perhaps from Latin re- + vallum.

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