barter

1 of 2

verb

bar·​ter ˈbär-tər 

bartered; bartering; barters

intransitive verb

: to trade by exchanging one commodity for another : to trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services

farmers bartering for supplies with their crops

bartered with the store's owner

transitive verb

: to trade or exchange by or as if by bartering

bartering work for food

barterer

ˈbär-tər-ər 

noun

barter

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or practice of trading goods or services for other goods or services : the act or practice of carrying on trade by bartering

2

: goods or services that are traded for other goods or services : the thing given in exchange in bartering

Synonyms

Noun

• back-and-forth
• commutation
• dicker
• exchange
• quid pro quo
• swap
• trade
• trade-off
• truck

Examples of barter in a Sentence

Noun

The tribes use a system of barter.

The explorers used blankets and other supplies for barter to get food from the native people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

This latest delay comes after a two-hour break that ended at 1:30 p.m. as prosecutors, the defense and judge bartered and petitioned the governor’s office for the full report and the waiving of privilege to see it. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025

However, the goal is to open the door to the possibility of bartering. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025

Noun

The massive influx of precious metal helped transform the Chinese economy from a nonmonetary economy based on feudal obligations and barter trade into a monetized economy based on market exchange. —Salvatore Babones, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2015

One day, through some sort of barter, Schroeder’s father came home with the bird. —Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bartren, from Anglo-French *bareter to do business, exchange, alteration of Old French barater — more at barratry

Noun

Middle English, noun derivative of bartren "to barter entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for barter

• arter
• charter
• darter
• garter
• martyr
• smarter
• starter
• tartar

Kids Definition

barter

1 of 2 verb

bar·​ter ˈbärt-ər 

: to trade one thing for another without the use of money

barterer

ˈbärt-ər-ər 

noun

barter

2 of 2 noun

: the exchange of goods without the use of money

Legal Definition

barter

1 of 2 intransitive verb

bar·​ter ˈbär-tər 

: to trade by exchanging one commodity or service for another

transitive verb

: to trade or exchange by or as if by bartering compare sell

barter

2 of 2 noun

: the art or practice of carrying on trade or exchange by or as if by bartering : exchange of one commodity or service for another compare sale