Crenellations
[kre-nə-ˈlā-shən]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid-19th century
1.
Architectural features at the top of a wall of a castle
2.
A specific type of castle defense featuring multiple rectangular spaces through which arrows may be shot
Examples of Crenellations in a sentence
"Even though the forces were waning, the crenellations at the top of the castle’s towers helped them defend their land."
"The crenellations were crumbling, showing the years of neglect after the castle was abandoned."
About Crenellations
The architectural features and fortifications that make a castle battle-ready are called by many different names, including battlement, rampart, and parapet. A crenellation is a specific type of battlement, which looks like notched teeth. The high section of these notches are called merlons.
Did you Know?
Crenellations are a sign that a castle is prepared for battle. In medieval England, the king had to grant a license to crenellate before the fortification could be constructed.