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definitions

barré

[ bah-rey ]
/ bɑˈreɪ /

noun

Textiles. a pattern of stripes or bands of color extending across the warp in woven and knitted fabrics.
Textiles. a streak in the filling direction when one or more picks are of a color different from that of adjacent picks.
Music. a technique of playing a chord on a stringed instrument by laying a finger across the strings at a particular fret, raising their pitch.

Nearby words

  1. barry, sir charles,
  2. barrymore,
  3. barrymore family,
  4. barrès,
  5. barrès, maurice,
  6. barré chord,
  7. barré's sign,
  8. barsac,
  9. barspoon,
  10. barstool

Origin of barré

< French: literally, barred, past participle of barrer, derivative of barre bar1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for barré

barré

/ (ˈbæreɪ) /

noun

the act of laying the index finger over some or all of the strings of a guitar, lute, or similar instrument, so that the pitch of each stopped string is simultaneously raisedCompare capo 1
the playing of chords in this manner

verb

to execute (chords) in this manner

adverb

by using the barré

Word Origin for barré

C19: from French, from barrer bar 1

barre

/ French (bar) /

noun

a rail at hip height used for ballet practice and leg exercises

Word Origin for barre

literally: bar
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for barré

barre

1876, in reference to chords played on a guitar, etc., from French, literally "bar" (see bar (n.1)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper