Etymology Dictionary

GABION,  a bottomless basket filled with earth, as a defence against the fire of an enemy.  (F.,—Ital.,—L.)   'Gabions, great baskets 5 or 6 foot high, which being filled with earth, are placed upon batteries;' Kersey's Dict. ed. 1715.  Also found in Minsheu.—O. F. gabion, 'a gabion;' Cot.—Ital. gabbione, a gabion, large cage; augmentative form of gabbia, a cage.   The Ital. gabbia also means 'the cage or top of the mast of a ship whereunto the shrouds are fastened' (Florio); the Span. gavia is used in the same sense.   The Ital. gabbia, in the latter sense, is also spelt gaggia, which is the same word with F. cage and E. cage.   β. All from Lat. cauea, a hollow place, cage, den, coop.—Lat. cauus, hollow.   See Cage, Cave, and Gaol.   ¶ Thus gabion is the augmentative of cage.    Der. gabionn-ade (F. gabionnade, Cot.; from Ital. gabbionata, an intrenchment formed of gabions).