Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

barrack

/ˈbæɹ.ək/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about barrack at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A building or group of buildings used to house military personnel.

verb

Lodge in barracks.
Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts.
The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers
Laugh at with contempt and derision.
The crowd jeered at the speaker

Origin

Borrowed from French baraque, from Spanish barraca or Catalan barraca, which is of uncertain origin. It is probably either a diminutive of Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar”), of unclear origin, or a diminutive of Vulgar Latin *barrum (“clay, mud”) from Celtiberian or Paleo-Hispanic.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word