Outpost

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈaʊtˌpoʊst/

Definitions

1. A remote location established to maintain a strategic presence or support operations outside of established territories
2. A small faraway station set up to secure or monitor an area outside the main territory
3. A distant base established to protect or extend control in a location away from central positions

Etymology: The word is a simple compound: "out" joined to "post," and the "post" half carries the real history. "Post" came into English from Middle French "poste," which in turn descends from Italian "posta," a word for a station or stopping place, and ultimately from Latin "posita," the feminine past participle of "ponere," meaning "to place." So at its root the idea is something placed or set down in a fixed spot. Adding "out-" gives the sense of a position set down at a distance from the main body. The "out" element here is the ordinary English word, inherited from Old English "ūt," so there is nothing borrowed about that half. The combination is English-made, built from familiar parts rather than coined from classical roots.

Synonyms: station, base, encampment, fort, settlement

Antonyms: main camp, headquarters, central base, hub, core