MEANING
An outer defensive structure guarding the approach to a castle or fortified gateway.
Use it for
layered entrance defenses; exposed approaches; controlled arrivalsMake entry a sequence of defended spaces rather than one door.
Words that belong together
- castle barbican
- pass through the barbican
- guard the barbican
On the page
The barbican forced visitors to approach in single file.
They abandoned the barbican before retreating behind the inner gate.
A toll clerk worked inside the barbican's least defensible room.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- barbican
Usage notes
Primary category: fantasy. Commonly a fortified outwork near the entrance; layouts differ, so it need not always have two towers. Noun: barbican; plural barbicans.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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