bridgehead

Calque of French tête de pont, equivalent to bridge +‎ head.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪd͡ʒhɛd/

• Audio (Southern England):

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bridgehead (plural bridgeheads)

1. An area around the end of a bridge.
2. (military) A fortification around the end of a bridge.
3. (military) An area of ground on the enemy's side of a river or other obstacle, especially one that needs to be taken and defended in order to secure an advance.
   • 2021, Otto English, Fake History, page 243:

     He believed the invasion would happen elsewhere and it wasn't until late in the afternoon and long after the Allied forces had established a bridgehead that Hitler was convinced of the need to do something.

4. (physical chemistry) Either of the two atoms in different parts of a molecule that are connected by a bridge of two or more other atoms

• (military): beachhead
• (chemistry): dibridgehead

• airhead
• beachhead
• railhead