Strongpoint

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A place of strategic defense designed to hold or protect an area
2. A fortified location crucial for military defense against attacks
3. A stronghold serving as an important point for resistance or control

Etymology: "Strongpoint" is a plain compound: "strong" joined to "point," with nothing more to it than the two English words placed side by side. The combination describes a fortified position chosen because it is hard to take, a spot where defenders can hold firm against an attack. The sense of "point" that matters here is its older military meaning, a particular place or position on the ground, rather than a sharp tip or a single idea. A strongpoint is therefore literally a strong place, a location whose natural or built features make it difficult to overrun. The term is used for bunkers, fortified buildings, and defended hilltops within a larger line of defense, where a small force can hold an area that would otherwise be open to attack.

Synonyms: advantage, fortification, asset

Antonyms: weakness, disadvantage