What does blindage mean?
A blindage is a defensive military construction designed to protect soldiers, weapons, or installations from gunfire and shell fragments. Typically built from timber frames packed with earth, sandbags, concrete, or steel plate, a blindage could roof a trench, house a machine gun, or cover an observation post, shielding its occupants from both direct fire and shrapnel. The word entered English from French, where blindage denotes armor plating, ultimately deriving from the same Germanic root that gives English 'blind' — the underlying notion being protection by concealment. Largely a term of military engineering, it is encountered today chiefly in histories of trench warfare, particularly the First World War, when such improvised shelters were essential to survival on the Western Front.
nounA protective military structure or shelter built to shield troops, guns, or equipment from enemy fire and shell fragments; more broadly, armor plating used for such protection.
- A fortified or armored shelter protecting troops, guns, or positions from hostile fire.
- Armor plating fitted to a vehicle, ship, or structure for protection.
"The artillery crew worked behind a sandbagged blindage at the edge of the wood."
"Snipers scanned the ridge, but the machine-gun blindage remained invisible among the rocks."
"Early tanks were little more than armored blindages mounted on tractor chassis."
Treated as a countable noun; plural used when referring to multiple defensive structures.
"Along the ridge ran a series of hastily built blindages."
The word for a bulletproof dugout literally comes from 'blind' — the idea being that it keeps the soldier safely hidden from view.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blindage
English borrowed 'blindage' from French, in which it means armor plating or protective covering. The French term derives from the verb 'blinder' (to armor or protect), formed on the Germanic root 'blind' — the same root behind English 'blind'. The connection lies in the idea of shielding something from sight or strike: a blindage protects by blocking the enemy's line of fire. The word was adopted into English military vocabulary during the era of modern trench warfare, most prominently around the First World War.
How blindage is actually used
A technical term of military engineering, now largely historical; it appears mainly in accounts of World War I and earlier conflicts rather than in everyday speech.
Easily confused with blindage
A blindage is a protective shelter against fire, whereas a barrage is an offensive curtain of concentrated artillery fire directed at the enemy.