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bastión

bastion, stronghold

noun bahs-TYOHN Rare
Travel & Places Landmarks

Origin: From Italian bastione, from bastire (to build).

Usage Note

Bastión is used both literally (a projecting part of a fortification) and figuratively (a last stronghold of an ideology or tradition). In modern usage the figurative sense dominates — un bastión de la democracia (a bastion of democracy). Note the written accent on the final syllable; without it, bastion would shift stress to the first syllable.

Examples

"La ciudad fue el último bastión de resistencia."

Natural Translation

The city was the last stronghold of resistance.

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