machicolation
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machicolation
- /məˌt͡ʃɪkəˈleɪʃən/
Where it comes from
From Late Latin machicol(amentum) (“machicolation”) + -ation (suffix indicating an action or process). Machicolamentum may be derived from Old French macher (“to chew; to crush”) (modern French mâcher) + col (“neck”) + Latin -mentum (suffix indicating an instrument or medium, or the result of something). The English word is cognate with Middle English machecolled (“having machicolations”), machecolling (“act of constructing machicolation; the openings making up the machicolation”), Middle French machecoleis (modern French mâchicoulis (“machicolation”)), Latin machecollum (“machicolation”), Occitan machacol.
noun machicolations · machicolade
-
An opening between corbels that support a projecting parapet, or in the floor of a gallery or the roof of a portal, of a fortified building from which missiles can be shot or heated items dropped upon assailants attacking the base of the walls.
Leibourn Caſtle, Kent. A proſpect of the front of that caſtle. Over the gate, we are told, was a machicolation or contrivance, from whence, in caſe of a ſudden attack, great ſtones, boiling water, or melted lead, might be thrown down upon the aſſailants.
Similar: machicoulis
- A projecting parapet with a series of such openings. The main walls were carried to the top of the fourth story, where a capacious machicolation enclosed the tower, on which there is a parapet wall of great thickness, with arches: this was to protect the persons employed over the machicolations.
Translations
Every language
noun opening between corbels that support a projecting parapet, or in the floor of a gallery or the roof of a portal, of a fortified building
| Español | matacán |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 마시쿨리 masikulli |
| 日本語 | 出し狭間 |
| Português | mata-cães |
| Français | mâchicoulis |
| Deutsch | Maschikuli |
| Italiano | caditoia, piombatoia |
| Русский | машикули mašikuli |
| עברית | משיקולי |
Talk about this word "machicolation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/machicolation. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. machicolation. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/machicolation "machicolation." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/machicolation.Cite this
@misc{machicolation_2026,
title = {machicolation},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/machicolation},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
