Barraca
/bəˈrækə/noun
A temporary hut, shack, or roughly built shelter, especially in parts of Latin America and the Philippines.
Did you know?Its deeper origin is uncertain: scholars connect it through Catalan and Spanish usage to the old Mediterranean vocabulary of makeshift huts, but no single root has been proven.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Period
Catalan
barraca
“A hut, shack, or roughly constructed shelter; the earliest widely cited form.”
16th Century
Spanish
barraca
“A temporary hut or crude dwelling, especially one associated with rural or military settings.”
16th–17th Century
Italian
baracca
“A temporary building, hut, or military shelter; the source of the English form barrack.”
17th Century
English
barrack
“A building or hut used to house soldiers.”
Modern English
English
barraca
“A regional or specialized term for a temporary hut, shack, or shelter.”