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

Sliding Barn Doors—Especially on Bathrooms Sliding barn doors were one of the most popular design trends of the mid-2000s, popping up in everything from farmhouse-style kitchens to modern bedrooms. —Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025

Lamaze Peek-a-Moo Friendly Barn—This plush barn from TOMY features crinkle flaps on the roof, satin ribbons, patterns, and a cow plush with a crinkle texture. —Liz Regalia, Parents, 24 Oct. 2025

Running for a full four-year term in 2026, the former chair of Florida’s Republican Party has used the same formula in barn-storming stops across Florida to argue that local governments should cut tax rates and shrink their budgets. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025

The Sullivans were missing for almost two days, and had taken shelter in a barn on the island. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 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