A permanent military camp or quarters; a large garrison town where troops are stationed; a district of a city set aside for military use.
From canton plus the suffix -ment (denoting an action, result, or place). The term developed in 18th-century military administration, particularly in British India where permanent military cantonment towns became administrative centers.
British India created 'cantonments'—planned military towns separate from native cities with their own clubs, hospitals, and architecture. These remained strikingly unchanged for decades, creating frozen Victorian enclaves.
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