parapet, n. [F., fr. It. parapetto, fr. parare to ward off, guard (L. parare to prepare, provide) + petto the breast, L. pectus. See Parry, and Pectoral.].

A low wall, especially one serving to protect the edge of a platform, roof, bridge, or the like. [1913 Webster]
A wall, rampart, or elevation of earth, for covering soldiers from an enemy's fire; a breastwork. See Illust. of Casemate. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

parapet, n.
1 a low wall at the edge of a roof, balcony, etc., or along the sides of a bridge.
2 a defence of earth or stone to conceal and protect troops.

Derivative

parapeted adj.

Etymology

F parapet or It. parapetto breast-high wall (as PARA-(2), petto breast f. L pectus)

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THESAURUS

parapet

abatis, advanced work, arch dam, backstop, balistraria, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, bar, barbed-wire entanglement, barbican, barrage, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battlement, bear-trap dam, beaver dam, boom, breakwater, breastwork, brick wall, buffer, bulkhead, bulwark, casemate, cheval-de-frise, circumvallation, cofferdam, contravallation, counterscarp, curtain, dam, defense, demibastion, dike, ditch, drawbridge, earthwork, embankment, enclosure, entanglement, escarp, escarpment, fence, fieldwork, fortalice, fortification, gate, glacis, gravity dam, groin, hydraulic-fill dam, iron curtain, jam, jetty, leaping weir, levee, logjam, loophole, lunette, machicolation, mantelet, merlon, milldam, moat, mole, mound, outwork, palisade, parados, portcullis, postern gate, rampart, ravelin, redan, redoubt, roadblock, rock-fill dam, sally port, scarp, sconce, seawall, shutter dam, stockade, stone wall, tackling, tenaille, vallation, vallum, wall, weir, wicket dam, work

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ROGET THESAURUS

parapet

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.

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