donjon

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

A variant of dungeon remodelled on its etymon, Old French donjon.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

donjon (plural donjons)

  1. The fortified tower of a motte or early castle; a keep.
    • 2007, Michael Chabon, Gentlemen of the Road, Sceptre, published 2008, page 132:
      [...] the prison fortress called Qomr, a mound of yellowish brick rising up from the left back of the turbid river, in whose donjon by long tradition the warlord was obliged to lay his head.
    • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe:
      It was a fortress of no great size, consisting of a donjon, or large and high square tower, surrounded by buildings of inferior height, which were encircled by an inner court-yard.

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Dutch[edit]

Dutch Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nl

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Middle French donjon, from Old French donjon, from Vulgar Latin dungiō.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /dɔnˈʒɔn/, [dɔ̃ˈʒɔ̃], [dɔnˈʒɔn]
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: don‧jon
  • Rhymes: -ɔn

Noun[edit]

donjon m (plural donjons, diminutive donjonnetje n)

  1. donjon, keep

Synonyms[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Middle French [Term?], from Old French donjon, dongon (castle keep), from Vulgar Latin *dominio, *dominionem (lord's castle), from Latin dominius.

Alternate etymology traces this word to Frankish *dungijā (dunghill, keep), from Proto-Germanic *dungijǭ (dunghill, bower).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

donjon m (plural donjons)

  1. donjon, keep

Further reading[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

donjon

  1. Alternative form of dongeoun

Old French[edit]

Noun[edit]

donjon oblique singularm (oblique plural donjons, nominative singular donjons, nominative plural donjon)

  1. Alternative form of dungun
    • 12th Century, Béroul, Tristan et Iseut:
      Li chiens gardoit par le donjon.
      The dog was guarding the dungeon.

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French donjon.

Noun[edit]

donjon n (plural donjoane)

  1. donjon

Declension[edit]