411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Martello tower
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
A Martello tower in Essex, England.|thumb|right
Etymology
From a corruption of en co w:Torra di Mortella Tower of Mortella, a tower in Corsica which was used as the basis for the design; possibly influenced by en it martello hammer.
Noun
A short sturdy round masonry fort, especially one constructed at various coastal points in the British Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.
en 1974 w:GB Edwards The Book of Ebenezer Le Page 309 2007 New York The martello towers was put up for the Guernsey people to get in out of the way of the Grand Saracen.
Synonyms
en Martello