Meanings
plural esplanades
- A clear space between a citadel and the nearest houses of the town.
- The glacis of the counterscarp, or the slope of the parapet of the covered way toward the country.
- A grass plat; a lawn.
- Any clear, level space used for public walks or drives; especially, a terrace by the seaside.
Synonyms: promenade
- TexasGrassy strips between two divided highway lanes; a traffic island.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny clear, level space used for public walks or drives; especially, a terrace by the seaside.
Origin
- Latinexplānāre
- Spanishesplanada
- Frenchesplanade“clear, level space”
- Englishesplanade
1590s, from French esplanade (“clear, level space”), from either Spanish esplanada (explanada), form of esplanar (“to flatten, to make level”) or Italian spianata, form of spianare (of the same meaning), both from Latin explānāre, from which English explain; see also plain (“level area, to flatten”).
More words from French, Spanish, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan esplanada
- esplanadaclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
Finnish esplanadi, esplanadi
- esplanadiclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
- esplanadiclear space used for public walks
French esplanade
- esplanadeclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
German Esplanade
- Esplanadeclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
Italian spianata
- spianataclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
Polish esplanada
- esplanadaclear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
Russian эсплана́да
- эсплана́да (esplanáda)clear space between a citadel and the nearest houses
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with esplanade
Anagrams
Cite this entry
esplanade. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esplanade
“esplanade.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esplanade. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “esplanade,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esplanade.
Source: esplanade on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.