— presidial, presidiary /pri sid"ee er'ee/ , adj.
/pri sid"ee oh'/ ; Sp. /prdde see"dhyaw/ , n. , pl. presidios /-sid"ee ohz'/ ; Sp. /-see"dhyaws/ .
1. a garrisoned fort; military post.
2. a Spanish penal settlement.
[ 1755-65, Amer.; praesidium guard, garrison, post, lit., defense, protection. See PRESIDIUM ]