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• barber
  barber

  noun

  a person whose occupation it is to cut and dress the hair of customers, especially men, and to shave or trim the beard.
• Barber
  Barber

  noun

  Samuel, 1910–81, U.S. composer.

barber

¹ American  

[bahr-ber] / ˈbɑr bər /

noun

1. a person whose occupation it is to cut and dress the hair of customers, especially men, and to shave or trim the beard.

2. frost smoke.

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verb (used with object)

1. to trim or dress the hair or beard of.

Barber ² American  

[bahr-ber] / ˈbɑr bər /

noun

1. Samuel, 1910–81, U.S. composer.

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barber ¹ British  

/ ˈbɑːbə /

noun

1. a person whose business is cutting men's hair and shaving or trimming beards

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verb

1. to cut the hair of

2. to shave or trim the beard of

Barber ² British  

/ ˈbɑːbə /

noun

1. Samuel . 1910–81, US composer: his works include an Adagio for Strings , adapted from the second movement of his string quartet No. 1 (1936) and the opera Vanessa (1958)

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Other Word Forms

• unbarbered
  adjective
• well-barbered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of barber

1275–1325; Middle English barbour < Anglo-French; Old French barbeor, equivalent to barb ( e ) (< Latin barba beard) + -eor < Latin -ātōr- -ator

Explanation

A barber is a person whose job is cutting hair in a barbershop. Your barber might have a tendency to cut your hair a little shorter than you like. When you visit a barbershop, you sit in a special chair while the barber cuts your hair with scissors or electric clippers. Men are the most common customers of a barber, although women can also get their hair cut by barbers. Barber comes from the Anglo-French word barbour, which is rooted in the Latin word for "beard," barb. Early barbers were certified not only to cut hair, but to perform surgery and dentistry as well.

Example Sentences

The younger Angel played sax in the family band, went to barber college in Pasadena, apprenticed in Williams, then came home in 1950 to take over his father’s old shop along Route 66.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

In a barber shop in the centre of Hampton Vale, foreign affairs are on the mind of Muhammad Usman, 39.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Early the following year, Raynella remarried David Leath, a local barber who, according to the News-Sentinel, was Ed Dossett’s best friend.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Christopher played Pirelli, the con-man barber with the fake Italian accent, and it was the first time that I can recall wishing that this flamboyant villain had a bigger part.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

“At ease, dependent,” the barber replied, his shears cutting deep swaths into Ben’s hair.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy