/ Dictionary / Index B bastille: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: bas•tille Pronunciation: (ba-stēl' Fr. bas-tē'y&supschwa), [key] — pl. bas•tilles (cap.) a fortress in Paris, used as a prison, built in the 14th century and destroyed July 14, 1789. any prison or jail, esp. one conducted in a tyrannical way. a fortified tower, as of a castle; a small fortress; citadel. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: bastille (Thesaurus) bastide Bastille Day Related Content Daily Word Quiz: pundit Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language