caponier

1 9.9

A covered passage in a fort that lets soldiers fire along the moat or ditch

noun
/ˈkæpəˌnɪr/

Specialized

: caponera

The design of the caponier ensured that troops could safely engage the enemy without exposing themselves.

Examples

Engineers inspected the old stone caponier as part of the fortress restoration project.
The soldiers took cover in the caponier during the attack.
The soldiers retreated into the caponier to avoid enemy fire during the siege.
A well-designed caponier allowed defenders to protect the moat from attackers.
Many caponier designs were used in medieval fortifications.
The soldiers took cover in the caponier to protect themselves while firing at the enemy.
From the caponier, defenders could shoot down at any attackers trying to cross the moat.

Synonyms

fortification

vscaponier

12 6.6

A wall or earth mound built to protect a place from attack

is a small covered element used to fire along a moat or ditch inside defenses

intrenchment

vscaponier

Archaic

1 9.9

A defensive position where soldiers stand behind trenches during war

is a covered firing structure placed inside a trench to fire along the ditch

Surface Forms

caponier singular

caponniers plural

Etymology

Caponier comes from French caponnière, which meant a 'chicken coop' or 'coop'. Think of soldiers tucked into a covered 'coop' to shoot along a ditch, and that's why a caponier is a covered part of a fort from which defenders can fire along the moat.