different between fortress vs barbican

English

Etymology

Early 14 c., from Old French forteresce, forteresse, forterece (“strong place, fortification”) [from 12th c.], variant of fortelesse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis (“strong”) (see fort) +? -itia, added to adjectives to form nouns of quality or condition. French -ess, from Latin -itia is also in words such as duress, largesse and riches. For change of medial -l- to -r- in Old French, compare orne (“elm”) from ulmus; chartre from cartula and chapitre from capitulum.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f??.t??s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f??.t??s/
• Hyphenation: fort?ress

Noun

fortress (plural fortresses)

1. A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; for example a fort, a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.
2. (chess) A position that, if obtained by the weaker side, will prevent penetration by the opposing side, generally achieving a draw.

Synonyms

• bastion, stronghold, bulwark

Translations

See also

• fortalice, fortilice

Verb

fortress (third-person singular simple present fortresses, present participle fortressing, simple past and past participle fortressed)

1. (transitive) To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard, to fortify.

English

Alternative forms

• barbacan

Etymology

From Old French barbacane, of uncertain origin: compare Arabic ???????? (barba?, “aqueduct, sewer”), and Persian ????????? (bâb-khâne, “gatehouse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??(?)b?k?n/

Noun

barbican (plural barbicans)

1. A tower at the entrance to a castle or fortified town
2. A fortress at the end of a bridge.
3. An opening in the wall of a fortress through which the guns are levelled; a narrow loophole through which arrows and other missiles may be shot.
   • 1922 James Joyce, Ulysses 11:

     Two shafts of soft daylight fell across the flagged floor from the high barbacans.

4. A temporary wooden tower built for defensive purposes.

Synonyms

• (entryway fortification): see guardhouse

Translations

See also

• bartisan

References

• Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language (1766)
• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “barbican”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN