barn

1 of 2

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

barny

2 of 2

adjective

ˈbär-nē 

-er/-est

: like or suggesting a barn especially in size, shape, or characteristic smell

Examples of barn in a Sentence

Noun

They live in a big barn of a house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Additional buildings include an equipment barn, cattle and alpaca barns, a chicken coop, and another barn for goats and sheep. — Mark David, Robb Report, 27 July 2026

Tasks include trailblazing and uprooting invasive weeds at the adjacent Richardson Grove State Park; river beach cleanups; painting barns, auditoriums, cabins and kitchen walls; building benches and greenhouses; and planting fruit trees. — Savita Patel, Mercury News, 26 July 2026

According to Zirpolo, the barn-like structure housed a produce market more than 10 years ago, before Wood Creations Boutique occupied the space. — Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026

Another concern is over the 500 or so people living and working on the backstretch, a complex of apartments and barns where residents take care of an almost equal number of horses. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

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