Wordwyrt

embattle

/emˈbætəl/em-BA-tuhl
/ɛmˈbætəl/em-BA-tuhl

Meaningto fortify

Common meaning: equip with battlements

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchbastiller‘to fortify’source
  2. Middle Englishmeaning shiftsto fortify → add defencesembattelen‘add defences’source
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsadd defences → equip with battlementsembattle‘equip with battlements’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old French bastiller ‘to fortify’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app