bastion
/ˈbæsti.ən/noun, verb
bastion is spelled B-A-S-T-I-O-N: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.0 times per million words in written English, the 19,336th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, bastion means “A projecting part of a rampart or other fortification” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of bastion is bastions.
How many letters and syllables are in bastion?
| Letters | 7: B-A-S-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.0 times per million words; the 19,336th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is bastion?
Bastion appears 2.0 times per million words in written English, the 19,336th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce bastion?
- UK /ˈbæsti.ən/
- British /ˈbastɪjən/
- US /ˈbæsti.ən/
Bastion has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-bastion.ogg, En-us-bastion.ogg, En-us-bastion-2.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of bastion
- bastions plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- bastioning participle, present
- bastioned participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does bastion mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A projecting part of a rampart or other fortification.
- 2
A well-fortified position; a stronghold or citadel.
- 3
A person, group, or thing, that strongly defends some principle.
a bastion of hope
- 4
Any large prominence; something that resembles a bastion in size and form.
verb
- 1
To furnish with a bastion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Bastion in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | bastion |
| German | Bastion, Bollwerk, Bastei |
| Portuguese | bastião , baluarte |
| Spanish | bastión |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does bastion come from?
First attested in 1562. From French bastion, from Old French bastille (“fortress”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).