barter

verb

bar·ter | \ ˈbär-tər

bartered; bartering; barters

Definition of barter

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

barter

noun

Definition of barter (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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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

Meanwhile, bush meat markets still see locals bartering for the animals, both dead and alive. — Washington Post, "Congo’s Ebola outbreak poses challenges for bush meat," 17 June 2018 That is up from zero in the 1990s, when famine pushed North Koreans to start bartering and trading in black markets to survive. — Niharika Mandhana, WSJ, "At Trump-Kim Summit, Host Vietnam Blazes Trail for North Korea," 23 Feb. 2019 For example, the market for national security payloads and NASA missions (James Webb is a notable exception, bartered between NASA and ESA) are typically closed to Arianespace. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist," 20 July 2018 Friends told the British press that Rowley would often search dumpsters for items to barter or sell. — William Booth, Anchorage Daily News, "Woman exposed to nerve agent in southern England dies; police launch murder investigation," 9 July 2018 Anyone who unlawfully captures or kills a big game animal and then sells or barters the animal is guilty of a felony. — Dustin Gardiner, azcentral, "10 Arizona laws that actually exist: Private armies, food-wasting ban, windshield repairs," 27 June 2018 This early depiction suggests that although chocolate was being bartered at this point, it may not have been traded as a form of currency, Baron says. — Joshua Rapp Learn, Science | AAAS, "The Maya civilization used chocolate as money," 27 June 2018 To generate publicity, the cash is handed out at ceremonies held in the weekly roadside markets where villagers gather to barter meager fish hauls for goods like plastic buckets or quart bottles of gasoline. — New York Times, "Nearly Eradicated in Humans, the Guinea Worm Finds New Victims: Dogs," 18 June 2018 Prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash and may not be sold, bartered or auctioned. — Union-tribune Rewards, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Enter to Win Two Tickets to San Diego Legion's Inaugural Rugby Season as well as a gift certificate to Hundred Proof!," 11 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And that means everything from tuna to stamps to cigarettes has its own unique value in a trade and barter market. — Alexandra Cardinale, Vox, "Why ramen is so valuable in prison," 14 Nov. 2018 European officials were also looking at a barter system that would allow Iran to sell oil, for example to China, and use the proceeds from that sale to purchase goods or technology from Europe. — Laurence Norman, WSJ, "Europe’s Payment Channel to Salvage Iran Deal Faces Limits," 25 Sep. 2018 With unemployment around 9 percent and consumer prices surging, some Argentines are again turning to barter clubs, which first emerged during the collapse nearly two decades ago. — Almudena Calatrava, Fox News, "Argentines seek soup kitchens, barter markets amid crisis," 10 Sep. 2018 This particular search insired Gellar and Laibow to hop on the phone and barter. — Colleen Leahey Mckeegan, Marie Claire, "Sarah Michelle Gellar's Second Act? Disrupting the Food Industry," 18 Apr. 2017 Choco Pies became so prevalent for sale or barter on the streets that North Korea reportedly banned their import to Kaesong in 2014. — Brian Murphy, Washington Post, "The Choco Pie dividend: South Korean firms are drooling at the prospect of business in the North," 17 June 2018 In 1996, amid crippling famine, Ji tried to steal a few pieces of coal from a rail yard to barter for food. — Brian Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, "Could these outspoken North Korean defectors return home?," 11 June 2018 In 1996, amid crippling famine, Ji tried to steal a few pieces of coal from a rail yard to barter for food. — Brian Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, "Could these outspoken North Korean defectors return home?," 11 June 2018 Instead, like many early civilizations, they were thought to mostly barter, trading items such as tobacco, maize, and clothing. — Joshua Rapp Learn, Science | AAAS, "The Maya civilization used chocolate as money," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'barter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for barter

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"

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Last Updated

15 May 2019

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Time Traveler for barter

The first known use of barter was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for barter

barter

noun

Financial Definition of barter

What It Is

A barter (or bartering) is an exchange between two parties using goods and services for payment instead of currency.

How It Works

The barter system enables two parties to exchange goods or services based on mutually perceived value.

To illustrate, a plumber can fix a baker’s sink, for which the baker would normally have paid $100 for the service. Instead, the baker gives the plumber $100 worth of his baked goods.

Another example would be a photographer agreeing to photograph a dentist's wedding pictures in return for some dental work of equal value.

These transactions do not involve any exchange of currency, however, each party benefits from the transaction.

Why It Matters

People have bartered for goods and services since the dawn of civilization. Historically the barter system has been employed in times of financial crisis when currencies are unstable or when there is no common currency.

In addition, bartering is especially useful for parties that don't have a strong cash position that would normally be used to pay for goods or services.

Source: Investing Answers

barter

verb