What does "barber" mean?
A person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.
Barber
/ˈbɑɹ.bɚ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.
- Grammar: barber is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: barbershop, beautician, beautifier, bob.
- Useful contrasts: client, customer, home.
- Usage evidence: Is there a barber shop in the hotel?
How to use "barber"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "barber" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "barber" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "barber" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "barber" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "barber" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "barbershop" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "barber", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.
"There's also a barber's shop and that staple of railway stations up and down the UK - a WH Smith."
- 2 a hairdresser who cuts hair and shaves beards as a trade wordnet
- 3 A barber surgeon, a foot soldier specializing in treating battlefield injuries.
- 4 A storm accompanied by driving ice spicules formed from sea water, especially one occurring on the Gulf of St. Lawrence; so named from the cutting ice spicules. Canada
Verb
- 1 To cut the hair or beard of (a person). transitive
- 2 perform the services of a barber: cut the hair and/or beard of wordnet
- 3 (US, slang) To chatter, talk. intransitive
"‘I shouldn't ought to barber with you. But when I like a guy, the ceiling's the limit.’"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation for a barber. countable, uncountable
- 2 A placename; A number of places in the United States; A neighbourhood of Chico, Butte County, California. countable, uncountable
- 3 A placename; A number of places in the United States; A township in Faribault County, Minnesota. countable, uncountable
- 4 A placename; A number of places in the United States; Former name of Maurer, a neighborhood of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. countable, uncountable
- 5 A placename; A number of places in the United States; An unincorporated community and census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A placename; A town in the north of Curaçao. countable, uncountable
- 7 A placename; Ellipsis of Barber County abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
Example
"Is there a barber shop in the hotel?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "barber"?
Common synonyms include: barbershop, beautician, beautifier, bob, builder, clipper.
How do you use "barber" in a sentence?
Is there a barber shop in the hotel?
How do you pronounce "barber"?
Pronounced /ˈbɑɹ.bɚ/.
Etymology
PIE word *bʰardʰéh₂ From Middle English barbour, from Anglo-Norman barbour, from Old French barbeor, from barbe (“beard”), from Latin barba.