noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/bɑɹbd waɪəɹ/
General-American:[ˈbɑɹbd ˈwa.jɚ]
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Twisted strands of steel wire, often coated with zinc, having barbs evenly spaced along them; used to construct agricultural and military fences.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
strong wire with barbs at regular intervals used to prevent passage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: barbwire
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wire
Narrower terms: concertina
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
69 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
doringdraad
— twisted strands of steel wire
