köken: From Old Galician-Portuguese barvacãa (13th century, Cantigas de Santa Maria), from Old French barbacane, of uncertain origin: compare English barbican, Arabic بَرْبَخ (barbaḵ, “aqueduct, sewer”), and Persian بابخانه (bâb-xâne, “gatehouse”). Cognate with Portuguese barbacã.
Internationalism; compare English barbican. Possibly borrowed from French barbacane or German Barbakane, possibly through Spanish barbacana, or borrowed from Italian barbacane. Further etymology uncertain, possibly from Arabic بَرْبَخ (barbaḵ, “aqueduct, sewer”) or Persian بابخانه (bâb-xâne, “gatehouse”).