defilement
/dɪˈfaɪəlmənt/ noun
Forms defilements
- noun The act of defiling.
- noun The state of being defiled.
- noun (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
debasement perversion pollution adulteration contamination defedation sophistication abasement corruption debauchment depravation depravement impurification profanation depravity baseness degeneracy degradation depravedness impurity befoulment
Etymology
Cf. F. défilement. See Defile
Webster’s 1913
- noun The protection of the interior walls of a fortification from an enfilading fire, as by covering them, or by a high parapet on the exposed side.
- noun The act of defiling, or state of being defiled, whether physically or morally; pollution; foulness; dirtiness; uncleanness.
Etymology [From 3d Defile.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “defilement”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details