What does abatis mean?
An abatis is a field fortification consisting of felled trees laid so that their branches, often sharpened to points, face outward toward an approaching enemy. Used since at least the early modern period, it was a cheap and effective way to block roads, ravines, and the approaches to earthworks, slowing infantry and entangling cavalry long enough for defenders to fire on them. The term comes from the French abattis, derived from abattre, meaning to fell or throw down, which also gives English the word abattoir. Today abatis appears chiefly in military history and engineering contexts, describing obstacles used in conflicts such as the American Civil War, where armies routinely cleared woodland to protect their lines. The plural is typically unchanged, though abatises is also found.
nounA defensive obstacle formed by felled trees with their sharpened branches pointing outward toward an enemy, used especially in fortifications.
- A defensive military obstacle of felled trees with sharpened branches directed toward the enemy.
"The soldiers hacked down the forest's edge to build an abatis before the enemy arrived at dawn."
"The defenders threw up an abatis along the road to slow the advancing cavalry."
"Civil War engineers cut an abatis in front of the earthworks, its jagged branches bristling like thorns."
The plural is usually identical to the singular, following French convention; the form 'abatises' also occurs.
"Several abatis protected the approaches to the fortress."
An abatis turns a forest into a weapon: fell the trees, sharpen the branches, and point them all at your enemy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abatis
The word abatis entered English in the 17th century from French abattis, a noun formed from abattre, meaning to fell or strike down, which itself descends from Latin battuere, to beat. It thus shares a root with words such as battle, combat, batter, and abattoir. The alternative spelling abattis preserves the French form more closely.
Usage notes
Abatis is a technical term of military engineering and history, appearing mainly in accounts of siege warfare, especially from the 17th through 19th centuries. It is rare in everyday speech. Both spellings 'abatis' and 'abattis' are accepted, the latter closer to the French original.
Don't confuse with
An abattoir is a slaughterhouse for animals, while an abatis is a military barricade made of felled trees; both derive from French verbs of striking or felling.