barracks
UK[ˈbærəks]US[ˈbærəks]
n
A large building or group of buildings for soldiers to live in
n
A large, plain, and often temporary building where people live or work in basic conditions
Etymology
The word 'barracks' has a journey reflecting military logistics across Europe. It entered English in the late 17th century from the French word 'baraque', meaning a temporary hut or shelter for soldiers. The French term itself was borrowed from either Spanish 'barraca' or Italian 'baracca', both referring to a hut or cabin. These Romance language forms are believed to have originated from an unattested Late Latin or Vulgar Latin term, possibly related to the Gaulish word 'barra' meaning 'a barrier' or 'hurdle', hinting at the simple, enclosed nature of the original structures. The modern meaning evolved from these humble, temporary shelters to denote permanent, large-scale housing for military personnel, while retaining connotations of basic, communal living.
Analysis
The word 'barracks' is a simplex loanword. It entered English as a whole unit from French, with its ultimate origin traced back to Spanish or Italian.
Examples
The new recruits were assigned to their quarters in the old stone barracks.
During the disaster, the sports hall was turned into emergency barracks for displaced families.
The army base has separate barracks for officers and enlisted personnel.