castle

/ˈkæsəl/

/ˈkɑsəl/

Other forms: castles; castled

A castle is a huge, grand home where a king or queen might live. Almost all castles are also fortified against attacks by enemy armies.

Most castles were built in the Middle Ages by royalty or other nobility. You can still visit many historic castles in Europe, most of them built of stone and including details like towers and guardhouses. You can also call the chess piece known as a "rook" a castle, for its castle-like shape. The word has an Old English root, castel, or "village."

Definitions of castle

1. noun

   a large building formerly occupied by a ruler and fortified against attack
   examples:

   Balmoral Castle

   a castle in northeastern Scotland that is a private residence of the British sovereign

   type of:

   fortification, munition

   defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
2. noun

   a large and stately mansion
   synonyms: palace

   examples:

   Buckingham Palace

   the London residence of the British sovereign

   type of:

   hall, manse, mansion, mansion house, residence

   a large and imposing house
3. noun

   (chess) the piece that can move any number of unoccupied squares in a direction parallel to the sides of the chessboard
   synonyms: rook

   type of:

   chess piece, chessman

   any of 16 white and 16 black pieces used in playing the game of chess
4. noun

   interchanging the positions of the king and a rook
   synonyms: castling

   type of:

   chess move

   the act of moving a chess piece
5. verb

   move the king two squares toward a rook and in the same move the rook to the square next past the king
   type of:

   go, move

   have a turn; make one's move in a game