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Glite Dictionary
donjon

donjon

9.9
The main tower of a medieval castle where people live and defend the castle
  • noun
  • /ˈdɒnʒən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : donjon
  • Visitors can explore the ancient donjon, which has stood for centuries.

Examples

  • Crippled, they clung long to the feudal donjons of their fathers, hoarding their might have been more had they prepared a fitting repository.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • But the Normans were quick to seize and modify either old and abandoned or newly conquered ones, mostly by building overstructures, donjons, or chateaux, something that proves their ability to adapt to the new environment and to combine their existing knowledge with what they found in Sicily.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The donjon of the castle served as a secure refuge during attacks.

  • In the heart of the fortress, the donjon offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Synonyms

keep
vsdonjon
8 8.6

The main strong tower in a castle

is the main tower emphasising stronghold function rather than residence role
dungeon
vsdonjon
  • Archaic
2 6.0

The main tower inside a castle that people use for protection

is the main tower used as a stronghold rather than merely the strongest part

How Fortified

citadel
51 7.7
stronghold
64 5.5
donjon
  • Archaic
9.9
watchtower
11 4.3
tower
547 1.0

Surface Forms

donjon singular
donjons plural

Etymology

Donjon comes from an old French word and from the Latin dominus, which means 'lord' and is the same root as domain and dominate. So a donjon was the lord's main tower or stronghold, and that is why it is the central, most protected part of a castle.