barbican

Meaning

1. A tower at the entrance to a castle or fortified town.
2. A fortress at the end of a bridge.
3. An opening in the wall of a fortress through which the guns are levelled; a narrow loophole through which arrows and other missiles may be shot.
4. A temporary wooden tower built for defensive purposes.

Synonyms

barbacan

blockhouse

pillbox

watchtower

Translations

barbacane

barbacane

barbacã

barbacana

Barbakane

Barbakan

barbet

barbacana

Außenwerk

gözleme kulesi

Torturm

Brückenhaus

fort

barbacana

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbɑː(ɹ)bɪkən/

Etymology

Cognate with Arabic: بَرْبَخ

Cognate with Persian: بابخانه

In summary

From Old French barbacane, of uncertain origin: compare Arabic بَرْبَخ (barbaḵ, “aqueduct, sewer”), and Persian بابخانه (bâb-xâne, “gatehouse”).