bridgehead
bridgehead Lexical Profile
bridgehead Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An initial secure position or base of operations from which further expansion, negotiation, or progress can be made.
"Opening a regional office in Singapore gave the technology firm a vital bridgehead into Southeast Asian markets."
A strong position secured by an advancing force on the far side of a bridge or river, serving as a base for further movement.
"The historical map illustrates how the expedition established a small bridgehead across the wide river before continuing inland."
In organic chemistry, an atom in a polycyclic molecule that is shared by three or more bonds across two or more rings.
"Bredt's rule states that a double bond cannot be placed at the bridgehead of a small bridged ring system due to excessive geometric strain."
• Rhymes for bridgehead
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the late 18th century as a loan translation of French 'tête de pont' (literally 'head of a bridge'), referring to a fortification protecting the end of a bridge nearest to an opposing force.