barracks

barracks — noun

1. A structure or set of connected structures where soldiers sleep and carry out th

1.nounB1
Definition

A structure or set of connected structures where soldiers sleep and carry out their daily routines while serving in the armed forces.

Example

The soldiers returned to the barracks after a long day of training in the forest.

Elena lives in the barracks near the base gate with fifty other new recruits.

live in the barracks — verb + preposition collocation for residence

Common collocations
  • military barracks
  • army barracks
  • live in barracks
  • return to barracks
  • confined to barracks
  • troop barracks
Synonyms
  • camp

    usually temporary and outdoors, often with tents rather than permanent buildings

  • base

    a much larger military facility that includes housing, offices, and equipment storage

  • quarters

    a broader term for living space; can refer to military or civilian accommodation

Usage Note

The word looks plural because it ends in -s, but it can be used with either a singular verb (the barracks is…) or a plural verb (the barracks are…) depending on whether the speaker thinks of it as one unit or many buildings.

Common Mistakes

He lives in a barrack near the airport.
He lives in the barracks near the airport.
The singular form 'barrack' is very rare; the standard word is 'barracks' for both one building and a group.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Barracks, camp, base, and quarters all describe places where military personnel stay, but they differ in scope and permanence. Barracks refers specifically to the building or buildings where soldiers live and sleep — it is about accommodation rather than the wider facility. A camp is a temporary outdoor site, often with tents or simple shelters, used during training or on deployment. A base is a large military installation that includes barracks, offices, hangars, and vehicle storage. Quarters is a broader term for living space that applies to both military and civilian contexts; on a base, officers' quarters are usually more private than the common barracks used by enlisted personnel.

barracks ↗camp ↗base ↗quarters

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • confined to barracks
  • return to barracks
  • confined to barracks as punishment

Prepositions

  • at the barracks
  • in the barracks
  • to the barracks
  • through the barracks

Etymology

SpanishItalianFrenchEnglish

Borrowed from French 'baraque', which came from Italian 'baracca' (a rough hut or cabin), ultimately from Spanish 'barraca' (a temporary shelter). The word entered English in the 17th century and originally referred to temporary shelters for soldiers during campaigns, later becoming the standard term for permanent military housing.