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
1 American
[bahr-ber]
/ ˈbɑr bər /
noun
-
barbers
plural
-
a person whose occupation it is to cut and dress the hair of customers, especially men, and to shave or trim the beard.
verb (used with object)
-
barbers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
barbered,
past participle, past
-
barbering
present participle
Barber
2
American
[bahr-ber]
/ ˈbɑr bər /
noun
barber
1
British
/ ˈbɑːbə /
noun
verb
-
to cut the hair of
-
to shave or trim the beard of
Barber
2
British
/ ˈbɑːbə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
barbersimple
-
barberssimple
-
have barberedperfect
-
has barberedperfect
-
am barberingprogressive
-
are barberingprogressive
-
is barberingprogressive
-
have been barberingperfect progressive
-
has been barberingperfect progressive
Past
-
barberedsimple
-
had barberedperfect
-
was barberingprogressive
-
were barberingprogressive
-
had been barberingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing barber
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The court previously heard that police confiscated electronic devices from Farasati, a barber, when he was stopped on 14 August last year.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The highs and lows of vibrant urban life are on display in scenes of a roadside barber and a subway arrest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
“I’m frustrated there is nobody building the art gallery, the music room, the barber shop, the bowling alley or the hotel,” Shriver said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
In Nairobi and other major towns, migrants from the region can be found working in barber shops and salons, construction, operating motorbike taxis and street vending, as well as selling clothes, food and household goods.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
“I could not catch the pronunciation. I believe that is the barber you heard about, too. The name sounded from Italy or Corsica, I believe.”
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Former US steelworker Denise Barber retired three years ago, but steep gasoline prices and family healthcare needs are making the Ohio resident consider returning to part-time work to make ends meet.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The PFA course includes sessions from prominent figures, such as Brighton chief executive Paul Barber, designed to help students understand how different areas of the football industry operate.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
"What was surprising and unexpected was how small changes in these domains could have such large effects," Barber said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
He cut hair at Joe’s Barber Shop in Inglewood when not traveling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
On the last day of school, Mr. Barber collected his Geography: The Story of the Worlds.
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
Education experts said one possible response to such a scenario is for state legislatures that set licensing requirements to decide some occupations — like barbers and stylists — actually need less training.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
The crackdown comes after a new £30m High Street organised crime unit was announced in May following a BBC News investigation into illegal mini-marts, vape shops and barbers.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Schools that educate ministers, barbers, massage therapists, and cosmetologists could be especially hard hit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Last year, three barbers in Kunar province were jailed for three to five months for breaching the ministry's rules, according to a UN report.
From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026
Belt and shoes in hand, I let myself be dragged along to the barbers.
From "Night" by Elie Wiesel
Trees barbered to resemble incense pots and traditional Yemeni daggers.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 7, 2021
It’s a big American story that rolls across barbered lawns and then leaves you stranded in some all-night Sam’s Club of the soul.
From New York Times ● Mar. 19, 2018
For now at least this England team can get on with presenting itself to the world, laid out in its splendid new-build sarcophagus, shaved and barbered, newly suited, eyes glazed with entropic reverie.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 12, 2012
Coaches who have barbered the rulebook like Edward Scissorhands look upon Calipari with a weird mixture of awe and disdain.
From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2010
Even for the first day, he was almost suspiciously well barbered.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Oasis Restore was hailed as a "revolution in youth justice", where young offenders were given one-on-one support and trained with workshops, such as catering and barbering.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2025
A T-level in hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy was due to begin in 2023, but was delayed before eventually being scrapped altogether.
From BBC ● May 10, 2024
Mr Cox said he had "hope of my barber shop or my barbering tools etc being somewhat salvageable", but "the whole room has gone including everything in it".
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2023
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound has a tradition of empowering youth, Williams said, and as more kids express interest in trade professions like construction and barbering, the agency is trying to meet demand.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
I do not think I ever really hated him until he had that little spell of superiority at lunch—that and when he went through all that barbering.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
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