Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “barracks” come from?

Barracks comes from French baraque, ultimately from Frankish bara, a word for a simple or rough structure.

barracks (English): plural of barrack; API pl; A group of buildings...

Definitions

  1. plural of barrack; API pl; A group of buildings...

Ancestry of “barracks”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbarrackA building for soldiers, especially within a...
2Frenchbaraquébuff, yoked, beefy; past participle of baraquer
3Spanishbarracabarrack; tent, hut; storage shed
4Catalanbarracahut, tent; storage shed; market stall
5Catalanbarrabar; loaf; jawbone, mandible
6Vulgar Latinbarrabarrier
7Frankishbarabar, beam, barrier, fence
8Proto-Germanicbarōbeam, bar, barrier
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerH-to pierce; to strike; brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰerH- →