blockhouse

[ blok-hous ]

noun

, plural block·hous·es [blok, -hou-ziz].

1. Military. a fortified structure with ports or loopholes through which defenders may direct gunfire.
2. Also called garrison house. (formerly) a building, usually of hewn timber and with a projecting upper story, having loopholes for musketry.
3. a house built of squared logs.
4. Rocketry. a structure near a launching site for rockets, generally made of heavily reinforced concrete, for housing and protecting personnel, electronic controls, and auxiliary apparatus before and during launching operations.

blockhouse

/ ˈblɒkˌhaʊs /

noun

1. (formerly) a wooden fortification with ports or loopholes for defensive fire, observation, etc
2. a concrete structure strengthened to give protection against enemy fire, with apertures to allow defensive gunfire
3. a building constructed of logs or squared timber
4. a reinforced concrete building close to a rocket-launching site for protecting personnel and equipment during launching

Word History and Origins

Origin of blockhouse¹

1505–15; < Middle Dutch blochuus, equivalent to bloc block + huus house

Example Sentences

Others are posing on the porch of an officer’s house and in front of the blockhouse, which are still on the property.

From Seattle Times

The old launch-pad blockhouses there had a single restroom - for men.

From Washington Times

The old launch-pad blockhouses there had a single restroom — for men.

From Seattle Times

From the trenches and blockhouses they poured a deadly fire across the bloody beach called Omaha.

From Seattle Times

Behind the thick walls were cases of ammunition, Behind the blockhouse the gun crew had tunneled into the side of the hill and installed living quarters.

From Fox News

Related Words

• barricade
• citadel
• fortress
• reinforcement