crenel

1 of 2

noun

cren·​el

ˈkrenᵊl

variants or less commonly crenelle

krə̇ˈnel

plural -s

: one of the embrasures alternating with merlons in a battlement

crenel

2 of 2

transitive verb

"

creneled or crenelled; creneled or crenelled; creneling or crenelling

ˈkren(ᵊ)liŋ

; crenels

: crenellate

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French crenel, from Old French, diminutive of cren notch, from crener to notch, from Medieval Latin crenare, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin crinare to split, perhaps of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish criathar sieve; akin to Greek krinein to separate

Transitive verb

French créneler, from Old French creneler, from crenel

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!