barrack
/ˈbæɹ.ək/noun, verb
barrack is spelled B-A-R-R-A-C-K: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Barrack, the name). As a noun, barrack means “A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of barrack is barracks.
How many letters and syllables are in barrack?
| Letters | 7: B-A-R-R-A-C-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 37,459th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is barrack?
Barrack appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Barrack, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce barrack?
- UK /ˈbæɹ.ək/
- /ˈbæɹ.ək/
- /ˈbɛɹ.ək/
Barrack has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-barrack.ogg, EN-AU_ck1_barrack.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of barrack
- barracks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- barracking participle, present
- barracked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does barrack mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A building for soldiers, especially within a garrison; originally referred to temporary huts, now usually to a permanent structure or set of buildings.
- 2
A primitive structure resembling a long shed or barn for (usually temporary) housing or other purposes.
- 3
Any very plain, monotonous, or ugly large building.
- 4
USA (structure with a) movable roof sliding on four posts, to cover hay, straw, etc.
- 5
IrelandcolloquialA police station.
verb
- 1
To house military personnel; to quarter.
- 2
To live in barracks.
- 3
UKTo jeer and heckle; to attempt to disconcert by verbal means.
- 4
AustraliaTo cheer for or support a team.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Barrack in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | caserne, chambrée, quartier |
| German | Kaserne, Baracke , kasernieren , buhen, auspfeifen, niederschreien |
| Portuguese | quartel |
| Spanish | cuartel, barraca |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does barrack come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).