Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
hillfort

hillfort

8.5
A place on a hill with walls built to protect people
  • noun
  • /ˈhɪlˌfɔrt/
translation icon : fortaleza en una colina
  • Visitors to the historical site can explore the well-preserved hillfort that dates back to the Iron Age.

Examples

  • Sue's passion lies in fortified sites, especially hillforts, and researching prehistory in both Australia and Britain.

    Blog text (26)

  • Here were the remnants of an old Iron Age hillfort.

    Blog text (15)

  • Cadbury Castle hillfort is but a day's hard march from Badon.

    Blog text (15)

  • The archaeologists discovered the ruins of an ancient hillfort during their excavation.

  • Local legends say that the ancient hillfort was used as a defense against invading tribes.

Synonyms

citadel
vshillfort
51 7.7

A strong fortress near a city where people shelter during war

is built on high ground long ago for village or regional defense
fortification
vshillfort
9 6.6

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

is a specific ancient strong place built on elevated ground for defense
intrenchment
vshillfort
  • Archaic
9.9

A defensive position where soldiers stand behind trenches during war

is a permanent elevated strong place rather than temporary trench defenses

How Fortified

citadel
51 7.7
castle
676 1.7
fort
153 2.3
hillfort
8.5
earthwork
3 6.0

Surface Forms

hillfort singular
hillforts plural

Morphology

hillfort = hill + fort (transparent) = hill + fort

The meaning is directly composed from 'hill' + 'fort' and thus readily inferable by learners.

Etymology

Hillfort is made from hill and fort, so it literally means a 'fort' on a 'hill'. These were ancient strong places built on high ground to defend people and watch the surrounding land, which explains the word's meaning today.