barber

B3A1R1B3E1R1
UK/ˈbɑːbə/US/ˈbɑɹ.bɚ/Australia, New Zealand/ˈbɐːbə/Scotland/ˈbaɾbəɾ/

noun

A person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.

Similar
haircutterhairdresserhairstylisttonsorcutbeard
OriginMiddle English barbour ← Anglo-Norman barbour ← Old French barbeor →
CommonScrabble 10
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

barber1

nounbarber (plural barbers)

plural barbers

  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.

    2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: Eastbourne”, in RAIL, number 948, page 27

    Synonyms: haircutter, hairdresser, hairstylist, tonsor, cutbeard

  2. A barber surgeon, a foot soldier specializing in treating battlefield injuries.
  3. CanadaA 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.
verbbarber (third-person singular simple present barbers, present participle barbering, simple past and past participle barbered)

present singular third person barbers · participle present barbering · participle past barbered · past barbered

  1. transitiveTo cut the hair or beard of (a person).
  2. intransitive(US, slang) To chatter, talk.

    ‘I shouldn't ought to barber with you. But when I like a guy, the ceiling's the limit.’

    1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 29

Barber2

proper nounBarber (countable and uncountable, plural Barbers)

plural Barbers

  1. countableuncountableA surname originating as an occupation for a barber.
  2. A placename
    1. countableuncountableA neighbourhood of Chico, Butte County, California.
    2. countableuncountableA township in Faribault County, Minnesota.
    3. countableuncountableFormer name of Maurer, a neighborhood of Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
    4. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community and census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma.
    5. countableuncountableA town in the north of Curaçao.
    6. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Barber County

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person whose profession is cutting the hair and beards of usually male customers.

Similar
haircutterhairdresserhairstylisttonsorcutbeard
Also see
hairdresserleechtonsor

Origin

  1. Latinbarba
  2. Old Frenchbarbeor
  3. Anglo-Normanbarbour
  4. Middle Englishbarbour
  5. Englishbarber

PIE word *bʰardʰéh₂ Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰers-? Proto-Indo-European *bʰardʰéh₂ Proto-Italic *farðā Latin barba Old French barbe Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -(ā)tōrem Old French -or Old French -our Anglo-Norman barbourbor. Middle English barbour English barber From Middle English barbour, from Anglo-Norman barbour, from Old French barbeor, from barbe (“beard”), from Latin barba.

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek κουρεύς
  • κουρεύς (koureús)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Arabic حَلَّاق, حلاقَة
  • حَلَّاق (ḥallāq)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • حلاقَةto cut the hair
Bengali নাপিত
  • নাপিত (napito)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Bulgarian бръсна́р, бръсна́рка
  • бръсна́р (brăsnár)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • бръсна́рка (brăsnárka)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • фризьо́р (frizjór)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • фризьо́рка (frizjórka)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • подстригвам (podstrigvam)to cut the hair
Catalan barber
  • barberperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Chinese Mandarin 理髮師 /理发师
  • 理髮師 /理发师 (lǐfǎshī)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Czech holič, holička
  • holičperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • holičkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • lazebníkperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • bradýřperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • bradýřkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • kadeřníkperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • kadeřniceperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Danish barber, frisør
  • barberperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • frisørperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • klippeto cut the hair
  • barbereto cut the hair
  • rageto cut the hair
Dutch kapper, haarkapper
  • kapperperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • haarkapperperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • coiffeurperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barbierperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • haarknippento cut the hair
  • haren knippento cut the hair
  • scherento cut the hair
Esperanto barbiro
  • barbiroperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Finnish parturi, hiustenleikkaaja
  • parturiperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • hiustenleikkaajaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • parturoidato cut the hair
  • leikata hiuksetto cut the hair
French coiffeur, coiffeuse
  • coiffeurperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • coiffeuseperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barbierperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
German Barbier, Bartschneider
  • Barbierperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • Bartschneiderperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • Bartschererperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • Friseurperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • frisierento cut the hair
  • Haare schneidento cut the hair
Greek κουρέας, κουρεύω
  • κουρέας (kouréas)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • κουρεύω (kourévo)to cut the hair
Hawaiian mea ʻako lauoho
  • mea ʻako lauohoperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Hebrew סַפָּר, ספרית
  • סַפָּר (sapár)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • ספרית (saparit)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • סיפר (sipér)to cut the hair
Hindi नाई
  • नाई (nāī)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Hungarian borbély
  • borbélyperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Icelandic rakari, bartskeri
  • rakariperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • bartskeriperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Indonesian barbir, tukang cukur
  • barbirperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • tukang cukurperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Irish bearbóir
  • bearbóirperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Italian barbiere, parrucchiere
  • barbiereperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • parrucchiereperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Japanese 理髪師, 床屋
  • 理髪師 (rihatsushi)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • 床屋 (tokoya)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Korean 이발사, 리발사
  • 이발사 (ibalsa)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • 리발사 (ribalsa)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • 이용사 (iyongsa)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • 리용사 (riyongsa)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Latin tonsor, tonstrix
  • tonsorperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • tonstrixperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Māori kaikuti makawe
  • kaikuti makaweperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Norwegian Bokmål barberer
  • barbererperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Persian سرتراش, گرای
  • سرتراش (sartarâš)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • گرای (garāy)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • سترنده (setorande)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • پیرایشگر (pīrāyešgar)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • موی ستردن (muy sotordan)to cut the hair
Polish balwierz, balwierka
  • balwierzperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • balwierkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barberperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barberkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • fryzjerperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • fryzjerkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • golarzperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • golarkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • golibrodaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Portuguese barbeiro, barbear
  • barbeiroperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barbearto cut the hair
  • cortar cabeloto cut the hair
Romanian bărbier, frizer
  • bărbierperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • frizerperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • coaforperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • bărbierito cut the hair
  • tundeto cut the hair
Russian парикма́хер, брадобре́й
  • парикма́хер (parikmáxer)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • брадобре́й (bradobréj)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • цирю́льник (cirjúlʹnik)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • цирю́льница (cirjúlʹnica)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Slovak holič, holička
  • holičperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • holičkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • kaderníkperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • kaderníčkaperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Spanish barbero, peluquero
  • barberoperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • peluqueroperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • fígaroperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Swahili kinyozi
  • kinyoziperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Swedish frisör, barberare
  • frisörperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • barberareperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • klippato cut the hair
  • barberato cut the hair
Tagalog barbero, manggugupit
  • barberoperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • manggugupitperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Thai กัลบก, ช่างตัดผม
  • กัลบก (gan-lá-bòk)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • ช่างตัดผม (châang-dtàt-pǒm)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Turkish berber, perukâr
  • berberperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • perukârperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • sakal kesenperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • kuaförperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Ukrainian перука́р, перука́рка
  • перука́р (perukár)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • перука́рка (perukárka)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • голя́р (holjár)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • голя́рка (holjárka)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Vietnamese thợ cắt tóc, cắt tóc
  • thợ cắt tócperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • cắt tócto cut the hair
  • cạo mặtto cut the hair
Welsh barbwr
  • barbwrperson whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
Yiddish שערער, שערערין
  • שערער (sherer)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards
  • שערערין (shererin)person whose profession is cutting (usually male) customers' hair and beards

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with barber

harborarborBaine HarbourBlacks HarbourClark's HarbourConception HarbourCook's HarbourDaniel's HarbourFox HarbourHant's HarbourLark HarbourMary's HarbourMurray HarbourMusgrave HarbourNipper's HarbourRed HarbourRocky HarbourSouthern HarbourWilliam's HarbourYork Harbour
All rhymes →

Anagrams

Barbre
Cite this entry
APA

barber. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barber

MLA

“barber.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barber. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barber,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barber.

Source: barber on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.