Plural of bastille, an alternative spelling of bastile, referring to medieval fortresses or prisons.
French spelling variant of bastile, from Old French bastille (fortified tower). The spelling with -ille is the French convention and was adopted in English particularly when referring to the famous Parisian monument.
The 14th of July celebrates Bastille Day in France, commemorating the storming of the Bastille in 1789—yet the English word 'bastille' reminds us that similar fortresses existed throughout medieval Europe as symbols of feudal power.
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