— bastionary /bas"cheuh ner'ee/ , adj. — bastioned , adj.
/bas"cheuhn, -tee euhn/ , n.
1. Fort. a projecting portion of a rampart or fortification that forms an irregular pentagon attached at the base to the main work.
2. a fortified place.
3. anything seen as preserving or protecting some quality, condition, etc.: a bastion of solitude; a bastion of democracy.
[ 1590-1600; bastione, equiv. to Upper It bastí ( a ) bastion, orig., fortified, built (c. It bastita, ptp. of bastire to build 1 ) + -one aug. suffix ]
Syn. 2. fortress, fort, bulwark, stronghold, citadel.