barbican
pronunciation
How to pronounce barbican in British English:
UK ['bɑ:bɪkən]
How to pronounce barbican in American English:
US ['bɑbɪkən]
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- Noun:
- a tower that is part of a defensive structure (such as a castle)
Word Origin
- barbican (n.)
- "outer fortification of a city or castle," mid-13c., from Old French barbacane (12c.), a general Romanic word, perhaps ultimately from Arabic or Persian (compare bab-khanah "gate-house"). Watkins identifies it as from Old Iranian *pari-varaka "protective," from *wor-o-, suffixed variant form of PIE root *wer- (5) "to cover" (see wier).
Example
- 1. Rumour has it that there is a giant bunker somewhere near the barbican in london .
- 2. The barbican 's towers are landmarks on the city 's skyline
- 3. With moats , 40-foot walls and immense barbican gates , pingyao is a striking sample of traditional urban design .
- 4. Climate change forms the inspiration for a major new exhibition of ecological art opening today at the barbican art gallery in london .
- 5. In 2005 , the barbican in london was accused of excising sections of its production of tamburlaine to remove scenes attacking muhammad .