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glacis (GLAY-sis, GLAE-sis) - n., a slightly inclined slope; (mil.) an open slope in front of a fortification; (mil.) also glacis plate, an angled armour plate on the front of a tank; a buffer zone, a buffer state.
The slope came first, but with the first military meaning in mind: adopted in the 1670s from French, from glacir, to make slippery/freeze, from Old French glacier, to slip/glide, from Latin glacies, ice. You want your attackers to slip backwards.
---L.
The slope came first, but with the first military meaning in mind: adopted in the 1670s from French, from glacir, to make slippery/freeze, from Old French glacier, to slip/glide, from Latin glacies, ice. You want your attackers to slip backwards.
---L.
