barker

plural barkers

1. Someone or something who barks.

   My neighbor's dog is a constant barker that keeps me awake at night.

   1 more example

   Edmund was barker on sight, like foolish stay-at-home dogs.

   1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 42

   Synonyms: latrant

2. A person employed to solicit customers by calling out to passersby, e.g. at a carnival.

   Bob had amassed a considerable stockpile of double entendres from his days working as a barker for a strip joint.

   4 more examples

   […

   1893, James Otis, The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

   'I'll be your "barker" - the girl outside who gets the suckers in. […]'

   1954, Ian Fleming, “The Everglades”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 121

   Oh to live on Sugar Mountain / With the barkers and the colored balloons

   1969, Neil Young, “Sugar Mountain”

   For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.

   2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36

   Synonyms: tout, spruiker

3. A shelf-talker.
4. video gamesA video game mode where the action is demonstrated to entice someone to play the game.

   The barker looks action-packed, but actually playing the game is rather dull.

5. datedslangA pistol.

   Parkin, the Oxford Street gunmaker, sent me a brace of barkers in silver mountings, with my initials engraved—good for trade, I imagine.

   1969, George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman, page 45

   1 more example

   Barney, opening a cupboard, brought forth several articles, which he hastily crammed into the pockets. “Barkers for me, Barney," said Toby Crackit. “Here they are,” replied Barney, producing a pair of pistols.

   1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: barking iron

6. The spotted redshank.

plural barkers

1. historicalA person who removes needed or valuable tree bark, as on a cinnamon or cinchona plantation.

   The profession of barker has been made largely obsolete by the realization that in most cases saplings can be cultivated far more profitably.

2. obsoleteA tanner.

   The profession of barker has been made largely obsolete by the introduction of more effective tanning agents, but it lives on as a surname.

3. A machine used to remove unneeded bark from wood.

   Run these logs through the barker so we can use them as fence posts.

plural Barkers

1. An English surname originating as an occupation.

   Jenny Sugarman's side dominated the first half and Aber keeper Megan Bowen made vital saves to deny Katie Barker and Ava Suckley.

   2026 September 6, Ioan Griffiths, Aled Williams, “Swans beat Cardiff & Wrexham start title defence with win”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2026, retrieved 07 Sep 2026

2. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A town in Broome County, New York.
   2. A village in Niagara County, New York.
   3. An unincorporated community in Harris County, Texas.
   4. An unincorporated community in Wetzel County, West Virginia.
3. A village in Colonia department, Uruguay.