Jump To:

• barker
  barker

  noun

  an animal or person that barks.
• Barker
  Barker

  noun

  George ( Granville ). 1913–91, British poet: author of Calamiterror (1937) and The True Confession of George Barker (1950)

barker

¹ American  

[bahr-ker] / ˈbɑr kər /

noun

1. an animal or person that barks.

2. a person who stands before a theater, carnival sideshow, or the like, calling out its attractions to passers-by.

---

barker ² American  

[bahr-ker] / ˈbɑr kər /

noun

1. a person or thing that removes bark from trees.

2. a person or thing that prepares bark for tanning.

---

Barker ¹ British  

/ ˈbɑːkə /

noun

1. George ( Granville ). 1913–91, British poet: author of Calamiterror (1937) and The True Confession of George Barker (1950)

2. Howard . born 1946, British playwright: his plays include Claw (1975), The Castle (1985), A Hard Heart (1992), and 13 Objects (2003)

3. Ronnie , full name Ronald William George Barker . 1929–2005, British comedian: known esp for his partnership with Ronnie Corbett (born 1930) in the TV series The Two Ronnies (1971–85)

---

barker ² British  

/ ˈbɑːkə /

noun

1. an animal or person that barks

2. a person who stands at a show, fair booth, etc, and loudly addresses passers-by to attract customers

---

barker ³ British  

/ ˈbɑːkə /

noun

1. a person or machine that removes bark from trees or logs or prepares it for tanning

---

Etymology

Origin of barker¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, barker is from the Middle English word berker, berkar. See bark ¹, -er ¹

Origin of barker²

1375–1425, earlier as surname; late Middle English. See bark ² (v.), -er ¹

Explanation

A barker is a person whose job involves advertising a show or a circus, encouraging passing pedestrians to buy a ticket. A traveling carnival might employ a barker to describe its attractions. A barker's job includes detailing the highlights of the show or fair he's trying to sell. An old-fashioned sideshow carnival barker might call to passers-by, describing the bearded lady or human pincushion inside. In the 15th century, a barker was a "noisy fellow," which became a "loud assistant or salesman" by the late 17th century. It comes from bark, from its Old English root beorcan, "to bark."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barker Barker

McLuhan was seen as more of a carnival barker than a scholar, and people—clearly—didn’t heed his warnings about technology.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2025

I mean, literally physically starving a lot of the time, and he learned to be a carnival barker, a stilt walker.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2023

It’s a carnival barker promising a werewolf boy, a woman with four legs, fleas that can rotate a Ferris wheel, a pizza bowl without crust.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 1, 2022

But for the past 30 years, his true calling has been modern-day carnival barker, affectionately known by his moniker, “The Barnum of Burbank.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2022

“Lookit this ’ere boy!” he shouted, like he was a barker at the county fair and me the prize pig.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

They’re more drawn to stories told by an authentic, recognizable filmmaker with a point of view, like Curry Barker, director of the surprise horror blockbuster “Obsession.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Its success has catapulted 26-year-old Barker from a YouTube video creator into Hollywood's A-league with a first feature-length film that cost just $750,000 to $1 million to make.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

"In that journey, you figure out timing, you figure out tricks like how to get someone's attention in the first three seconds," Barker told The Big Picture podcast recently.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

With players like Fontaine and Kopa, Barker thinks the 1958 vintage can stand alongside the best French sides - including the modern one.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Women’s rights advocate Frances Dana Barker Gage worried about the status of African American women.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• debater
• orator
• raconteur