noun
- an outwork of a fortified place, as a castle.
- a defensive outpost of any sort.
noun
- a walled outwork or tower to protect a gate or drawbridge of a fortification
- a watchtower projecting from a fortification
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
“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”).