Definition of "castle" []

• A large fortified building or group of buildings with thick walls, usually dominating the surrounding country. (noun)
• A fortified stronghold converted to residential use. (noun)
• A large ornate building similar to or resembling a fortified stronghold. (noun)
• A place of privacy, security, or refuge. (noun)
• Games See rook2. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The word castle evolved from the Latin word castrum meaning a closed fort or stronghold."
• "From what I have seen the castle is already finished."
• "We soon discovered that the word "castle" on a map did not always signify some Camelot-like fortress, or even a modest ruin."