barbican
|bar-bi-can|
🇺🇸
/ˈbɑɹbɪkən/
🇬🇧
/ˈbɑːbɪkən/
forward fortified gateway
Etymology
'barbican' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'barbacane', where 'barbacane' referred to an external defensive work or gatehouse.
'barbican' changed from Medieval Latin 'barbacana' and Old French 'barbacane' and eventually became the modern English word 'barbican'.
Initially, it meant 'an outer defensive work or gatehouse', and over time it evolved into the more specific modern sense of 'a fortified gateway or projecting defensive structure in front of a gate'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a fortified outpost or gateway, typically an outer defensive structure in front of the main gate of a castle or city (often a tower or walled passage designed to protect the entrance).
The attackers were stalled at the barbican before they could reach the main gate.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/14 15:16