name
Meaning 1
A surname from French.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
barrier
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.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbæɹi.ə/
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British, Southern, Standard: /ˈbaɹɪjə/
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/ˈbæɹi.ɚ/ without the Mary–marry–merry merger
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/ˈbɛɹi.ɚ/ Mary–marry–merry merger
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australian: /ˈbæɹi.ə/
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New-Zealand: /ˈbɛɹi.ə/
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Scotland: /ˈbaɾe.əɾ/
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Wales: /ˈbaɾi.ə/
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rhymes with -æɹiə(ɹ)
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CMU ARPABET: B AE1 R IY0 ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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CMU ARPABET 2: B EH1 R IY0 ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A structure that bars passage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The bus went through a railway barrier and was hit by a train.
- The bomber had passed through one checkpoint before blowing himself up at a second barrier.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
An obstacle or impediment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Even a small fee can be a barrier for some students.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A boundary or limit.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Few marathon runners break the three-hour time barrier.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A node (in government and binding theory) said to intervene between other nodes A and B if it is a potential governor for B, c-commands B, and does not c-command A.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A separation between two areas of the body where specialized cells allow the entry of certain substances but prevent the entry of others.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, physiology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
The lists in a tournament.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
A martial exercise of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To block or obstruct with a barrier.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bar
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 10
a structure or object that impedes free movement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: obstruction, obstructor, obstructer, impediment, impedimenta
Narrower terms: bannister, banister, balustrade, balusters, handrail, barricade, breakwater, groin, groyne, mole, bulwark, seawall, jetty, crash barrier, dam, dike, dyke, fence, fencing, fender, wing, grate, grating, hurdle, movable barrier, railing, rail, revetment, roadblock, starting gate, starting stall
noun
Meaning 11
any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- intolerance is a barrier to understanding
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: roadblock
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: obstacle, obstruction
Narrower terms: ideological barrier, language barrier
noun
Meaning 12
anything serving to maintain separation by obstructing vision or access
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mechanism
Narrower terms: bar, blood-brain barrier, curtain
History
Etymology
From Middle English barrer, barrere, barryȝer, from Anglo-Norman barrere (compare French barrière), from barre (“bar”).
Across languages
Translations
173 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afrikaans: versperring — structure that bars passage
- Arabic: حَاجِز (ḥājiz) — structure that bars passage
- Armenian: պատնեշ (patneš) — structure that bars passage
- Belarusian: бар'ер (barʺjer) — structure that bars passage
- Belarusian: шлагба́ум (šlahbáum) — structure that bars passage
- Bulgarian: барие́ра (bariéra) — structure that bars passage
- Catalan: barrera — structure that bars passage
- Chinese Mandarin: 障 (zhàng) — structure that bars passage
- Chinese Mandarin: 柵欄 /栅栏 (zhàlán) — structure that bars passage
- Czech: bariéra — structure that bars passage
- Danish: barriere — structure that bars passage
- Danish: afspærring — structure that bars passage
- Dutch: barrière — structure that bars passage
- Dutch: versperring — structure that bars passage
- Dutch: slagboom — structure that bars passage
- Egyptian: s-b-x:t-O14 (sbḫt) — structure that bars passage
- Esperanto: barilo — structure that bars passage
- Estonian: barjäär — structure that bars passage
- Estonian: tõkkepuu — structure that bars passage
- Finnish: aita — structure that bars passage
- Finnish: este — structure that bars passage
- French: barrière — structure that bars passage
- Galician: barreira — structure that bars passage
- Georgian: ბარიერი (barieri) — structure that bars passage
- German: Sperre — structure that bars passage
- German: Schranke — structure that bars passage
- German: Schlagbaum — structure that bars passage
- German: Barriere — structure that bars passage
- German: Absperrung — structure that bars passage
- Greek: φράγμα (frágma) — structure that bars passage
- Hebrew: מַחְסוֹם (makhsóm) — structure that bars passage
- Hungarian: sorompó — structure that bars passage
- Hungarian: csapórúd — structure that bars passage
- Ido: barilo — structure that bars passage
- Indonesian: palang — structure that bars passage
- Indonesian: pembatas — structure that bars passage
- Irish: fál — structure that bars passage
- Italian: barriera — structure that bars passage
- Japanese: 障壁 (shōheki) — structure that bars passage
- Korean: 장벽 (jangbyeok) — structure that bars passage
- Northern Kurdish: berbest — structure that bars passage
- Macedonian: барие́ра (bariéra) — structure that bars passage
- Norwegian Bokmål: sperring — structure that bars passage
- Norwegian Bokmål: bom — structure that bars passage
- Norwegian Nynorsk: sperring — structure that bars passage
- Norwegian Nynorsk: bom — structure that bars passage
- Polish: bariera — structure that bars passage
- Polish: barierka — structure that bars passage
- Portuguese: barreira — structure that bars passage
- Romanian: barieră — structure that bars passage
- Russian: барье́р (barʹjér) — structure that bars passage
- Russian: шлагба́ум (šlagbáum) — structure that bars passage
- Scottish Gaelic: bacadh — structure that bars passage
- Serbo-Croatian: барије́ра — structure that bars passage
- Serbo-Croatian: barijéra — structure that bars passage
- Spanish: barrera — structure that bars passage
- Swahili: kizuizi — structure that bars passage
- Swedish: bom — structure that bars passage
- Swedish: barriär — structure that bars passage
- Swedish: spärr — structure that bars passage
- Tarifit: afray — structure that bars passage
- Ukrainian: бар'є́р (barʺjér) — structure that bars passage
- Ukrainian: шлагба́ум (šlahbáum) — structure that bars passage
- Walloon: bårire — structure that bars passage
- Walloon: håjhe — structure that bars passage
- Walloon: håjhea — structure that bars passage
- Afrikaans: hindernis — obstacle or impediment
- Arabic: عَقَبَة (ʕaqaba) — obstacle or impediment
- Arabic: حَاجِز (ḥājiz) — obstacle or impediment
- Armenian: արգելք (argelkʻ) — obstacle or impediment
- Azerbaijani: sədd — obstacle or impediment
- Belarusian: бар'е́р (barʺjér) — obstacle or impediment
- Belarusian: перашко́да (pjeraškóda) — obstacle or impediment
- Belarusian: перапо́на (pjerapóna) — obstacle or impediment
- Belarusian: перагаро́да (pjeraharóda) — obstacle or impediment
- Bulgarian: прегра́да (pregráda) — obstacle or impediment
- Bulgarian: препя́тствие (prepjátstvie) — obstacle or impediment
- Bulgarian: барие́ра (bariéra) — obstacle or impediment
- Chinese Mandarin: 障 (zhàng) — obstacle or impediment
- Chinese Mandarin: 障礙 /障碍 (zhàng'ài) — obstacle or impediment
- Czech: bariéra — obstacle or impediment
- Czech: překážka — obstacle or impediment
- Danish: barriere — obstacle or impediment
- Danish: forhindring — obstacle or impediment
- Dutch: barrière — obstacle or impediment
- Esperanto: baro — obstacle or impediment
- Esperanto: barilo — obstacle or impediment
- Estonian: barjäär — obstacle or impediment
- Estonian: tõke — obstacle or impediment
- Finnish: este — obstacle or impediment
- French: barrière — obstacle or impediment
- Galician: barreira — obstacle or impediment
- German: Barriere — obstacle or impediment
- German: Hindernis — obstacle or impediment
- German: Hürde — obstacle or impediment
- Greek: φράγμα (frágma) — obstacle or impediment
- Hindi: बाधा (bādhā) — obstacle or impediment
- Hindi: रुकावट (rukāvaṭ) — obstacle or impediment
- Hungarian: akadály — obstacle or impediment
- Ido: barilo — obstacle or impediment
- Indonesian: rintangan — obstacle or impediment
- Italian: barriera — obstacle or impediment
- Japanese: 障害 (shōgai) — obstacle or impediment
- Kazakh: кедергі (kedergı) — obstacle or impediment
- Kazakh: бөгет (böget) — obstacle or impediment
- Kazakh: тосқауыл (tosqauyl) — obstacle or impediment
- Korean: 장애 (jang'ae) — obstacle or impediment
- Macedonian: барие́ра (bariéra) — obstacle or impediment
- Macedonian: пречка (prečka) — obstacle or impediment
- Macedonian: препрека (prepreka) — obstacle or impediment
- Mongolian: саад (saad) — obstacle or impediment
- Persian: مانع (mâne') — obstacle or impediment
- Persian: سد (sadd) — obstacle or impediment
- Plautdietsch: Hindaniss — obstacle or impediment
- Polish: bariera — obstacle or impediment
- Polish: przeszkoda — obstacle or impediment
- Portuguese: obstáculo — obstacle or impediment
- Romanian: barieră — obstacle or impediment
- Russian: барье́р (barʹjér) — obstacle or impediment
- Russian: препя́тствие (prepjátstvije) — obstacle or impediment
- Russian: прегра́да (pregráda) — obstacle or impediment
- Scottish Gaelic: bacadh — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: пре̏града — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: пре̏прека — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: пре̏пона — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: prȅgrada — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: prȅpreka — obstacle or impediment
- Serbo-Croatian: prȅpona — obstacle or impediment
- Slovak: bariéra — obstacle or impediment
- Slovak: prekážka — obstacle or impediment
- Slovene: pregrada — obstacle or impediment
- Slovene: ovira — obstacle or impediment
- Spanish: barrera — obstacle or impediment
- Swahili: kizuizi — obstacle or impediment
- Tajik: монеа (monea) — obstacle or impediment
- Tajik: садд (sadd) — obstacle or impediment
- Ukrainian: бар'є́р (barʺjér) — obstacle or impediment
- Ukrainian: перешко́да (pereškóda) — obstacle or impediment
- Ukrainian: перепо́на (perepóna) — obstacle or impediment
- Vietnamese: chướng ngại — obstacle or impediment
- Walloon: aroke — obstacle or impediment
- Walloon: xhame el voye — obstacle or impediment
- Belarusian: лімі́т (limít) — boundary or limit
- Belarusian: мяжа́ (mjažá) — boundary or limit
- Bulgarian: гра́ница (gránica) — boundary or limit
- Bulgarian: преде́л (predél) — boundary or limit
- Chinese Mandarin: 障 (zhàng) — boundary or limit
- Chinese Mandarin: 邊界 /边界 (biānjiè) — boundary or limit
- Czech: bariéra — boundary or limit
- Danish: grænse — boundary or limit
- Estonian: piir — boundary or limit
- Finnish: raja — boundary or limit
- French: limite — boundary or limit
- French: frontière — boundary or limit
- Galician: barreira — boundary or limit
- Galician: límite — boundary or limit
- German: Grenze — boundary or limit
- Hebrew: מַחְסוֹם (makhsóm) — boundary or limit
- Indonesian: batas — boundary or limit
- Indonesian: sawar — boundary or limit
- Italian: limite — boundary or limit
- Polish: bariera — boundary or limit
- Portuguese: limite — boundary or limit
- Russian: преде́л (predél) — boundary or limit
- Russian: грани́ца (graníca) — boundary or limit
- Russian: лими́т (limít) — boundary or limit
- Spanish: límite — boundary or limit
- Swahili: kizuizi — boundary or limit
- Swedish: gräns — boundary or limit
- Ukrainian: лімі́т (limít) — boundary or limit
- Ukrainian: межа́ (mežá) — boundary or limit
- Walloon: limotche — boundary or limit
- Walloon: frontire — boundary or limit
Real reading context