noun

palisade

pal-ih-SAYD

Palisade (noun) means a fence of strong stakes or iron bars set upright in the ground, built as a defence or barrier. Example: “The settlement was ringed by a timber palisade twice the height of a man.”

noun

A fence of strong stakes or iron bars set upright in the ground, built as a defence or barrier.

"The settlement was ringed by a timber palisade twice the height of a man."

"Steel palisade fencing surrounds the substation."

A line of tall cliffs, especially ones with a striking vertical, column-like face along a river. Usually in the plural.

"The Palisades rise sheer above the west bank of the Hudson."

In botany, the layer of tall, closely packed cells just below the upper surface of a leaf where most photosynthesis happens. Usually palisade layer or palisade mesophyll.

"Chloroplasts are concentrated in the palisade layer near the light."

How to Use Palisade

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA fence of tall upright stakes or bars, built to keep people out.

When to use it

Neutral; historical, military, botanical and security contexts.

Memory tip

Stress falls on the last syllable: pal-ih-SAYD.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

stockade → paling parapet → balustrade →

Common pairings

timber palisade palisade fencing wooden palisade palisade mesophyll

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The settlement was ringed by a timber _____ twice the height of a man.

Etymology

From French palissade, from Provençal palissada, ultimately from Latin palus 'a stake'. The same root gives pale in the sense of a fence stake, as in 'beyond the pale'.

Origin: French

Synonyms

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stockade paling barricade fence escarpment bluffs cliffs

Related Words

wall bar debate jail rail argue Craig fence

Rhymes for palisade

Ade made jade wade fade sade Bade Cade Dade trade blade spade

See all rhymes for palisade →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a palisade and a stockade?

They overlap heavily. A palisade is any defensive fence of upright stakes or bars, and may enclose a settlement or simply line an approach. A stockade usually means a fully enclosed timber compound, and in American usage also came to mean a military prison.

What is palisade fencing?

It is modern security fencing made of vertical steel pales bolted to horizontal rails, usually with pointed or splayed tops. It is used around substations, depots and railway land because it is hard to climb and easy to see through.

Why are those cliffs called palisades?

Because their columnar rock faces stand in close vertical ranks and look like a row of stakes driven into the ground.

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