machicolation

noun

ma·​chic·​o·​la·​tion mə-ˌchi-kə-ˈlā-shən 

1

a

: an opening between the corbels of a projecting parapet or in the floor of a gallery or roof of a portal for discharging missiles upon assailants below see battlement illustration

b

: a gallery or parapet containing such openings

2

: construction imitating medieval machicolation

machicolated

mə-ˈchi-kə-ˌlā-təd 

adjective

Examples of machicolation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Your feudal lord did not have a range of mottes, baileys, bartizans, drawbridges, dungeons, machicolations and turrets to choose from. —A-LIST, 2 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin machicolare to furnish with machicolations, from Middle French machicoller, from machicoleis machicolation, from macher to crush + col neck, from Latin collum — more at collar

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 1a