turret

/ˈtʌrət/

/ˈtʌrət/

Other forms: turrets

A turret is a small tower that is taller than the rest of the building. The long-haired fairy tale heroine Rapunzel had to stay in a turret.

The classic turret is perched at the very top of a stone castle and is often small and rounded, with tiny windows. Another meaning of turret is the structure on a tank or fort that's heavily protected with armor and contains a gun. Often this kind of turret is rounded and can rotate, in order to fire in different directions.

Definitions of turret

1. noun

   a small tower extending above a building
   type of:

   tower

   a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
2. noun

   a self-contained weapons platform housing guns and capable of rotation
   synonyms: gun enclosure, gun turret

   type of:

   platform, weapons platform

   any military structure or vehicle bearing weapons