defilement

See also: défilement

English

Etymology

defile +‎ -ment

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfaɪəlmənt/

Noun

defilement (countable and uncountable, plural defilements)

1. The act of defiling.
   • 1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:

     Time has taken a terrible revenge upon mankind for his despoliation of the valleys and his defilement of the mountains, yet the industries and the railways of South Wales still put the bravest front upon an outlook which all may hope is becoming less saddening and less grim.

2. The state of being defiled.
3. (military) The protection of the interior walls of a fortification from enfilading fire, as by covering them, or by a high parapet on the exposed side.

Synonyms

• pollution

Derived terms

• self-defilement

Translations

act of defiling

• Bulgarian: замърсяване (bg) n (zamǎrsjavane), оскверняване (bg) n (oskvernjavane)
• Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 f (bisauleins)
• Maori: whakapokenga

state of being defiled

• Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 f (bisauleins)
• Greek:

  Ancient: μίασμα n (míasma)

protection of the interior walls of a fortification from enfilading fire, as by covering them, or by a high parapet on the exposed side

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• German: ^{(please verify)} Verunreinigung (de) f