contravallation

noun

con·​tra·​vallation

¦kän‧trə+

plural -s

: a series of works confronting the walls of an invested place to isolate the defenders and safeguard the besiegers against sallies

also : construction of such works

Word History

Etymology

modification (influenced by Latin contra-) of French contrevallation, from contre- (from Latin contra-) + Late Latin vallation-, vallatio rampart, entrenchment

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!