View source for Vedette (sentry)

{{Short description|Early warning soldier or military unit}}
[[File:Senglea-gardjola-274.jpg|thumb|''Gardjola'' is a type of vedette. ([[Senglea]], [[Malta]])]]

A  '''vedette''' is a mounted sentry or [[picket (military)|picket]], who has the function of bringing information, giving signals or warnings of danger, etc., to a main body of [[troop]]s.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=965}}{{efn|The word originated as a French military term '''vedette''' (formed from [[Latin]] ''videre'', to see) {{harv|Chisholm|1911}}, also spelled ''vidette''.}} In modern terms, the soldiers who man '''listening-posts''' are the equivalent of vedettes.

==Naval==
Navies use the term ''vedette'' to refer to a small scouting or patrol boat.

The term has also been used for specific naval vessels (see [[USS Vedette|USS ''Vedette'']]), and a class of flying boat (see [[Canadian Vickers Vedette]]).

==Structures==
All around [[Salisbury Plain]] in southern England, the roads connecting the plain with the surrounding countryside feature brick-built guard-posts, staffed by security officers whenever there is military activity beyond such points.  They are known as vedettes, and each one is named for a local geographic feature.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/424835 |title=Lavington Hill Vedette}}</ref>

The ''Gardjola'' is a prominent [[guard tower]] on Maltese forts in Malta and an example of a vedette.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.seemalta.net/MalteseIslands/AboutMalta.aspx |title=About The Island of Malta |work=seemalta.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.maltavista.net/en/list/photo/262.html |title=Senglea. Vedette |work=maltavista.net}}</ref><ref name="morana">{{cite book|last1=Morana|first1=Martin|title=Bejn kliem u storja: glossarju enċiklopediku dwar tradizzjonijiet - toponimi - termini storiċi Maltin|date=September 2011|publisher=Best Print|location=[[Malta]]|isbn=978-99957-0-137-6|oclc=908059040|language=Maltese|pages=85}}</ref> It may be referred to in French as an ''[[échauguette]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.panoramio.com/photo/9695177 |title=Malte échauguette Isla Senglea 1994 |work=panoramio.com}}</ref>

==Notes==
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==References==
*{{EB1911|wstitle=Vedette|volume=27|page=965}}

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary inline|vedette}}

[[Category:Cavalry units and formations]]
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