Wall

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /wɔːl/

Definitions

1. A vertical structure built to enclose, divide, or protect an area or building ; a boundary or barrier separating different spaces or properties ; a defensive fortification or protective enclosure around a place
2. A constructed upright partition forming the side of a room or building ; a partition marking limits between places or groups ; a strong defensive structure for military or security purposes
3. A solid upright surface used to support or enclose a space ; a dividing line or obstacle preventing passage or access ; a protective rampart designed to defend against attack or intrusion

Etymology: The English word for a vertical barrier comes from Latin "vallum", meaning rampart or palisade, and its path into English runs through the Germanic languages rather than directly from Rome. Old English "weall" meant more than a built structure: it could also denote a dike, an earthwork, a dam, or even a rocky shore or cliff. That breadth reflects the original idea of a raised earth or stone mass used for defence and holding back water, and the word's close relatives across the North Sea coast still carry the sense of a mound or embankment, such as Dutch "wal" and German "Wall". The English word was probably also shaped by a second, older term. Old English "wāg" referred to an interior partition inside a house, and the two words appear to have blended in the Middle English period, so that a built divider and an outdoor rampart came to share one spelling.

Synonyms: fence, barrier, partition, divider

Antonyms: opening, gap