barn

noun

ˈbärn 

1

a

: a usually large building for the storage of farm products or feed and usually for the housing of farm animals or farm equipment

b

: an unusually large and usually bare building

a great barn of a hotel

—W. A. White

2

: a large building for the housing of a fleet of vehicles (such as trolley cars or trucks)

barnlike

ˈbärn-ˌlīk 

adjective

barny

ˈbär-nē 

adjective

Examples of barn in a Sentence

They live in a big barn of a house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most of the hay is in the barn for the Celtics this offseason. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 July 2025

Bringing them back to a barn also exposes them to parasites and diseases that build up in concentrated areas. —Helen Whybrow july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025

Travelers on the roads were forced to seek refuge in farmhouses and barns on the outskirts of the city when their vehicles became marooned in ditches and drifts of snow. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025

The barn also has a loft area that increases the usable space and this building’s utility. —James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bern, from Old English bereærn, from bere barley + ærn house, store

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing barn

• barn burner
• barn dance
• barn lot
• barn owl
• barn raising
• barn swallow

Rhymes for barn

• arn
• barne
• carn
• darn
• garn
• karn
• skarn
• yarn

Kids Definition

barn

noun

ˈbärn 

: a building used chiefly for storing grain and hay and for housing farm animals or farm equipment

Medical Definition

barn

noun

ˈbärn 

: a unit of area equal to 10⁻²⁴ square centimeters that is used in nuclear physics for measuring cross section