A small building where guards are stationed, or a military detention facility.
From 'guard' (from Old French 'garde,' to watch) + 'house.' A compound meaning a building where guards are kept, used militarily since the 1700s.
Military guardhouses played surprisingly influential roles in history—the Bastille was originally a fortress but became known as an arbitrary prison, and its storming in 1789 triggered the French Revolution, proving that where you detain people matters symbolically.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.