garrison

1 of 2

noun

gar·​ri·​son ˈger-ə-sən 

ˈga-rə-

1

: a military post

especially : a permanent military installation

2

: the troops stationed at a garrison

garrison

2 of 2

verb

garrisoned; garrisoning ˈger-ə-s(ə-)niŋ 

ˈga-rə-

transitive verb

1

: to station troops in

2

a

: to assign as a garrison

b

: to occupy with troops

Examples of garrison in a Sentence

Noun

a garrison of 5,000 men

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Eight years later, in the early months of Russia’s wider invasion of Ukraine, the rebuilt battalion joined the garrison in Mariupol on the Black Sea coast. —David Axe, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

To put China’s naval capabilities in perspective, consider that the United States captured Okinawa in 1945 from a Japanese garrison that was roughly the size of Taiwan’s current active army with a fleet weighing 2.4 million tons and supported by 22 carriers, 18 battleships, and 29 cruisers. —Rachel Esplin Odell, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2021

Verb

The area is garrisoned by the Ukrainian army’s 33rd Assault Battalion and 41st Mechanized Brigade. —David Axe, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024

Russian defenses in 2023 were deep, well prepared, fronted by extensive minefields, backed by mobile reserves, and garrisoned by troops who fought hard when attacked. —Stephen Biddle, Foreign Affairs, 29 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English garisoun "wealth, gift, tribute, protection, fortified place, body of soldiers," borrowed from Anglo-French garisun "protection, cure, income, supplies," from garir "to support, protect, cure" (going back to Old Low Franconian *warjan "to defend, prevent," going back to Germanic *warjan-) + -isun, deverbal noun suffix, going back to Latin -ītiōn-, -ītiō, from -ī-, verb stem formative + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at weir

Note: The Middle English sense "fortified place, body of soldiers" reflects confusion with Middle English garnisoun and Anglo-French garnisun "fortified place, body of armed men stationed in such a place," from Anglo-French garnir "to give notice, equip, arm, fortify" (see garnish entry 1) + the same suffix seen in garisun.

Verb

derivative of garrison entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing garrison

• garrison cap
• garrison house
• garrison state

Kids Definition

garrison

1 of 2 noun

gar·​ri·​son ˈgar-ə-sən 

1

: a military post

especially : a permanent military installation

2

: the troops stationed at a garrison

garrison

2 of 2 verb

garrisoned; garrisoning ˈgar-əs(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to station troops in

2

: to send (troops) to a garrison

Biographical Definition

Garrison

biographical name

Gar·​ri·​son ˈger-ə-sən 

ˈga-rə-sən

William Lloyd 1805–1879 American abolitionist