Castle: meaning, definitions and examples

A large building or group of buildings fortified against attack with thick walls, battlements, towers, and often a moat. Most commonly associated with medieval Europe and royalty.

• The ancient castle stood atop the hill, overlooking the village below
• They visited a famous castle in Scotland during their vacation

A military stronghold designed for defense, usually larger than a castle. It has extensive fortifications and is used to guard a strategic location.

• The fortress was built to guard the valley from invaders
• The army prepared to defend the fortress against the advancing enemy

A strong central fortress, often located within a city, that serves as a place of refuge or defense. It is typically used in historical contexts or to describe a high, commanding place offering protection.

• The citizens fled to the citadel when the city was under siege
• The ancient citadel still stands as a symbol of the city's strength

A place that has been fortified to protect against attack. It can be used in both a literal and metaphorical sense to describe a well-defended or dominant position.

• The rebels retreated to their mountain stronghold
• The old mansion had become a stronghold of artistic expression in the community

Generally used to refer to a large building or group of buildings fortified against attack, with thick walls, battlements, towers, and often a moat. Can also refer to the chess move where the king and rook move simultaneously.

• During our trip to Europe, we visited a medieval castle
• In the chess game, he decided to castle early to protect his king

In chess, this term specifically refers to castling on the side of the board where the king originally starts, which involves moving the king two squares towards the rook on its original square, then placing the rook on the square the king crossed.

• In his next move, he performed a castle kingside to secure his king's safety
• She often prefers to castle kingside for quicker king safety

In chess, this term specifically refers to castling on the side of the board where the queen originally starts, which involves moving the king two squares towards the rook on that side and placing the rook on the square the king crossed.

• He decided to castle queenside, hoping for a more aggressive position
• In her strategy, she often opts to castle queenside to balance her pieces