barcode

noun

bar·​code ˈbär-ˌkōd 

variants or less commonly bar code

plural barcodes also bar codes

1

: a code consisting of a group of printed and variously patterned bars and spaces and sometimes numerals that is designed to be scanned and read into computer memory and that contains information (such as identification) about the object it labels

… one version of the barcode reader used in supermarkets employs a laser scanner.

—Science

I on the other hand boarded the traditional way. I handed my paper printout to the airport personnel, who scanned the barcode before letting me proceed.

—Sanjeeb Patel

2

biology : something (such as a DNA sequence) that uniquely identifies a species of organism

… they now plan to analyze each fish sample by decoding a certain tiny piece of DNA that can serve as a unique bar code for the species.

—Christen Brownlee

bar-coded

ˈbär-ˌkō-dəd 

adjective

bar coding noun

Examples of barcode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bank upgraded the maker of barcode scanners and RFID readers to overweight from sector weight. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 May 2026

Any idea on when this hideous barcode-design strip will be released? —Chris Waugh, New York Times, 12 May 2026

These specific batches of chips have a UPC barcode of 0-3003496507-5 with a best-if-used-by date of July 16, 2026, both of which can be found on the back of the bag. —Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 8 May 2026

Old luggage barcode stickers can confuse airline systems and increase the risk of bags being misrouted or delayed. —Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026

Online organic grocer Thrive Market even has a healthy swaps feature in its app that lets users scan the barcodes of mainstays to find more purportedly virtuous brands. —Sarah Todd, STAT, 22 Apr. 2026

Traditional barcodes require manual scanning, and standard RFID often provides only point-in-time data. —Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 21 Apr. 2026

In Oregon, Read said, the state has people prove their citizenship before sending them a ballot that is individually tracked with a barcode. —Josh Meyer, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2026

Trump is also calling for ballots to have secure envelopes with unique barcodes for tracking, according to the executive order. —Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for barcode

• abode
• anode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad
• decode

Kids Definition

bar code

noun

: a code made up of a group of printed and variously spaced bars and sometimes numerals that is designed to be scanned and read into computer memory and that contains information (as identification) about the object it labels