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 trio first assigned each card a barcode. —John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 17 June 2026

Legislators passed a law two years ago barring the use of that barcode for the official vote count beyond July 1 of this year, but no replacement method of tabulating votes was ever implemented. —ABC News, 14 June 2026

The model number is printed on the back of the box next to the barcode. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026

Consumers can find the model number on the back of the box near the barcode and on one end of the dive stick alongside the company's name and tracking information, according to the recall notice. —Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

And yet there is something about it, an echo of the original barcode top which Newcastle wore in the early 1990s, when Keegan rescued the team from oblivion and then led them into the Premier League. —George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 June 2026

The state would first submit to the USPS a list of voters who are submitting mail-in ballots for that election, along with each voter’s corresponding personalized barcode on their ballots. —Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026

Robotic units integrated with barcode validation loops now incorporate computer vision models trained to classify pill shape, color, imprint, and packaging configuration. —Ethan Stone june 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026

The machine reads the capsule’s barcode to identify the recipe and even recommends the ideal glassware. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 1 June 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