laager

or la·ger

[ lah-ger ]

noun

1. a camp or encampment, especially within a protective circle of wagons.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to arrange or encamp in a laager.

laager

/ ˈlɑːɡə /

noun

1. (in Africa) a camp, esp one defended by a circular formation of wagons
2. military a place where armoured vehicles are parked

verb

1. to form (wagons) into a laager
2. tr to park (armoured vehicles) in a laager

Word History and Origins

Origin of laager¹

1840–50; < Afrikaans laer, earlier lager; cognate with German Lager camp. See lair ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of laager¹

C19: from Afrikaans lager, via German from Old High German legar bed, lair

Example Sentences

The painting lies on the floor of her “laager” – a storage barn open to the elements, apart from a metre-high stone wall, which you have to clamber over with the help of a rickety chair.

From The Guardian

Their prevailing image of communal unity was the “laager,” the barricaded circle of pioneer wagons.

From The New Yorker

The essence of Pistorius' argument is unyielding defense of his laager.

From Time

More importantly, the evidence of the laager mentality's continuing siege can be seen in the emergence of gated communities and rightwing organisations' claims of a genocidal plot against white farmers.

From The Guardian

Information had been brought into headquarters that the Boers were massing upon the east side of the town, the small laager on the west being temporarily evacuated.

From Project Gutenberg