pal·i·sade
ˌpa-lə-ˈsād 
1
a
: a fence of stakes especially for defense
b
: a long strong stake pointed at the top and set close with others as a defense
2
: a line of bold cliffs
Did you know?
Palisade comes from Latin palus, meaning "stake." The word originally applied to one of a series of stakes set in a row to form an enclosure or fortification. In time, its meaning was extended to a fence of stakes and, by association, to stretches of steep cliffs bordering a river.
Synonyms
Examples of palisade in a Sentence
Noun
the palisades that line the west bank of the Hudson River for about 15 miles
Recent Examples on the Web
Madalyn Mendoza, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
The discovery of palisades suggests the settlement was fortified with thousands of spiked planks used as defensive barricades, but archaeologists are unsure why it was needed by villagers.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2023
Peck passed an area racked and rearranged last fall by the Merbok storm, evidence of the disfigurement still evident in the clusters of mangled fish camps and spiky bundles of driftwood poking through the snow cover like palisades or anti-tank obstacles in no-man’s land.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Mar. 2023
As Steven Morris writes for the Guardian, the Mount Pleasant complex originally consisted of a timber-and-stone monument; a henge, or circular enclosure surrounded by a ditch; and a palisade, or fence made out of enormous felled trees.
—Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2020
See all Example Sentences for palisade 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Recent additions to the grounds include The Ralston Family Collections Center, a Mission Gate and Lunette, and replicas of an 18-pounder cannon and a palisade, all part of the $550 million Alamo Plan.
—Madalyn Mendoza, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
The discovery of palisades suggests the settlement was fortified with thousands of spiked planks used as defensive barricades, but archaeologists are unsure why it was needed by villagers.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2023
Peck passed an area racked and rearranged last fall by the Merbok storm, evidence of the disfigurement still evident in the clusters of mangled fish camps and spiky bundles of driftwood poking through the snow cover like palisades or anti-tank obstacles in no-man’s land.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Mar. 2023
As Steven Morris writes for the Guardian, the Mount Pleasant complex originally consisted of a timber-and-stone monument; a henge, or circular enclosure surrounded by a ditch; and a palisade, or fence made out of enormous felled trees.
—Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2020
See all Example Sentences for palisade
Dictionary Entries Near palisade
Cite this Entry
“Palisade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palisade. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
palisade
1 of 2 noun
pal·i·sade
ˌpal-ə-ˈsād
1
a
: a stout high fence of stakes especially for defense
b
: a long strong pointed stake set close with others as a defense
2
: a line of steep cliffs
palisade
2 of 2 verb
palisaded; palisading
: to surround or protect with palisades
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share