English Explanatory Dictionary

Martello tower

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A short sturdy round masonry fort, especially one constructed at various coastal points in the British Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.

Word forms

Martello tower Martello towers

Etymology

From a corruption of Corsican Torra di Mortella (literally “Tower of Mortella”), a tower in Corsica which was used as the basis for the design; possibly influenced by Italian martello (“hammer”).

Synonyms

Martello
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