barber

1 of 2

noun

bar·​ber ˈbär-bər 

: one whose business is cutting and dressing hair, shaving and trimming beards, and performing related services

barber

2 of 2

verb

barbered; barbering ˈbär-b(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

: to perform the services of a barber for : trim or groom the hair or beard of

intransitive verb

: to perform the services of a barber

Synonyms

Noun

• stylist

Examples of barber in a Sentence

Noun

He goes to a barber downtown.

went to the barber to get his hair cut and his beard trimmed

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tywanza Sanders, a young barber who had come with his mother, collapsed to the floor. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025

The building, adjacent to Medical Center East's south tower, used to be a dorm for students and housed a barber shop in the front and a deli in the back. —Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Sep. 2025

Verb

The school offers various career and technical education, or CTE, certificate programs like barbering, welding, water quality management and computer networking. —Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025

At this point in his career – and as a huge sports fan – Garcia reveled in the perks of barbering for a sports star and realized that Los Angeles was the place to be to expand his influence. —Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French barbour, from barbe beard — more at barb

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for barber

• arbor
• arbour
• harbor
• harbour

Kids Definition

barber

noun

bar·​ber

ˈbär-bər

: a person whose business is cutting and dressing hair and shaving beards

barber verb

Etymology

Noun

Middle English barber "barber," from early French barbour (same meaning), derived from Latin barba "beard" — related to barb

Biographical Definition

Barber

biographical name

Bar·​ber ˈbär-bər 

Samuel 1910–1981 American composer