This noun denotes a military stronghold or fortress, a place fortified against attack. Paul uses it metaphorically in 2 Corinthians to describe ideological strongholds—mental fortresses of pride and false reasoning that resist the knowledge of God. The military image is deliberate: these aren't flimsy shelters but entrenched positions requiring divine power to demolish. Across languages—Spanish 'fortalezas,' French 'forteresse,' German 'Festung'—the martial imagery persists. The word evokes high walls, defensive positions, and stubborn resistance.