Dictionary Home »
Dictionary Definitions » Gibraltar
Gibraltar
(ji brôl′tər)
noun
any strong fortification; unassailable fortress
Origin: after the Gibraltar
- small peninsula at the southern tip of Spain, extending into the Mediterranean: 2.5 sq mi (6.5 sq km); it consists mostly of a rocky hill (), 1,396 ft (426 m) high
- British crown colony, including a port & naval base, on this peninsula: pop. 28,000
- strait between Spain & Morocco, joining the Mediterranean & the Atlantic: c. 35 mi (56 km) long
See Gibraltar in American Heritage Dictionary 4
A British colony at the northwest end of the Rock of Gibraltar, a peninsula on the south-central coast of Spain in the Strait of Gibraltar, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and northern Africa. Gibraltar was captured by Arabs in 711 and passed to the Spanish in 1462. Great Britain took control in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession, although Spain has made repeated claims to regain the territory. Population: 28,000.
Related Forms:
- Gi·bralˌtarˈi·an (-târˈē-ən) adjective & n.
noun
An invincible fortress or stronghold.
Learn more about Gibraltar
