contravallation

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contravallation

/ˌkɒntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/ UK
/ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/ US

Rhymes with -eɪʃən

Where it comes from

By surface analysis, contra- + vallation (“rampart”). Possibly from French contrevallation or Italian contravvallazione; in any case, from Latin contrā + vallātiō (from vallare (“to surround with a rampart”), from vallum (“rampart”)).

noun contravallations · countervallation

A fortification built around a sieged target by the besiegers.
Opposite: circumvallation

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MLA

"contravallation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/contravallation. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

contravallation. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/contravallation

Chicago

"contravallation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/contravallation.

BibTeX

@misc{contravallation_2026,
  title = {contravallation},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/contravallation},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}