demilune

A soldier stands guard behind a demilune fortification.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A half-moon shape: "demilune" refers to something shaped like a half-moon or crescent.
   • A fortification: In military architecture, a "demilune" is a crescent-shaped outer defensive work, typically a low wall or rampart, positioned in front of a fortress to protect its gate or vulnerable point.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The ancient fortress featured a demilune that guarded the main entrance. (A crescent-shaped outer defense.)
  • The artist painted a delicate demilune in the night sky. (A half-moon shape in a painting.)

Advanced Usage

• "demilune table": a table with a semicircular or half-moon top, often placed against a wall.

  • She placed a vase on the demilune table in the hallway. (A semicircular table used for decoration.)

• "demilune window": a window in the shape of a half-moon or crescent.

  • The chapel had a beautiful demilune window above the altar. (A crescent-shaped window.)

Variants and Related Words

• Demilunar (adj): relating to or shaped like a half-moon.

  • The demilunar curve of the arch was elegant. (The arch had a half-moon shape.)

• Lune (n): a crescent shape or something shaped like a moon.

  • The lune of the moon was visible in the twilight. (A crescent shape.)

Synonyms

• Crescent: a shape resembling a curved moon, especially in its first or last quarter.
• Half-moon: a shape that is exactly half of a full circle or sphere.

Related Idioms