'alcazaba' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-qaṣabah', where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'qaṣabah' meant 'fortress'.

'al-qaṣabah' transformed into the Spanish word 'alcazaba', and eventually became the modern English word 'alcazaba'.

Initially, it meant 'fortress', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.