Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

contravallation

/ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: con-traval-la-tion
IPA: /ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/

20

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A fortification built around a sieged target by the besiegers.

Etymology

By surface analysis, contra- + vallation (“rampart”). Possibly from French contrevallation or Italian contravvallazione; in any case, from Latin contrā + vallātiō (from vallare (“to surround with a rampart”), from vallum (“rampart”)).

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: contrevallation, contravvallazione, contrā

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/
British English: /ˌkɒntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/

Inflected Forms

contravallations (plural) countervallation (alternative)

Antonyms

circumvallation

Rhymes With

information education situation population station association administration operation organization head station nation location

Questions

How do you pronounce contravallation?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/.
What does contravallation mean?: A fortification built around a sieged target by the besiegers.
Where does contravallation come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce contravallation

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “contravallation”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌkɑntɹəvəˈleɪʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “contravallation”.
Repeat and practice — Say “contravallation” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.