barbican
[ bahr-bi-kuh n ]
/ ˈbɑr bɪ kən /
noun
an outwork of a fortified place, as a castle.
a defensive outpost of any sort.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
barbershopper, barberton, barberton daisy, barbet, barbette, barbican, barbicel, barbie, barbie doll, barbirolli, barbirolli, sir john
Also barbacan.
Origin of barbican
1250–1300; Middle English barbecan, barbican < Old French barbacane or Medieval Latin barbacana, perhaps ≪ Persian bālāḥāna terrace over a roof, upper floor, altered by association with Latin barba beard, a beard marking the front or face of a thing
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for barbican
British Dictionary definitions for barbican (1 of 2)
barbican
/ (ˈbɑːbɪkən) /
noun
a walled outwork or tower to protect a gate or drawbridge of a fortification
a watchtower projecting from a fortification
Word Origin for barbican
C13: from Old French barbacane, from Medieval Latin barbacana, of unknown origin
British Dictionary definitions for barbican (2 of 2)
Barbican
/ (ˈbɑːbɪkən) /
noun
the Barbican a building complex in the City of London: includes residential developments and the Barbican Arts Centre (completed 1982) housing concert and exhibition halls, theatres, cinemas, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for barbican
barbican
"outer fortification of a city or castle," mid-13c., from Old French barbacane (12c.), a general Romanic word, perhaps ultimately from Arabic or Persian (cf. bab-khanah "gate-house").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper