Căp'o-niēre', n.

(kāp'o-neer'), n. [Fr. caponnière, Sp. caponera, It. capponiera, probably allied to Fr. caponner, to dissimulate in order to succeed, capon, a cunning player. Cf. Fr. chaponner, to castrate a cock, and Eng. capon.] (Fort.) A work placed in a ditch for its defense by fire-arms, the defenders being covered on the sides, and sometimes overhead. If on the side only, it is single; if overhead, it is double. The work often serves as a covered passage-way across the ditch.