barber

barber — noun

1. a person whose work is trimming the hair on men's heads, and often shaving or sh

1.nounB1
Definition

a person whose work is trimming the hair on men's heads, and often shaving or shaping their beards and moustaches.

Example

Yael visits the same barber on Main Street every three weeks.

go to / visit + the barber

The barber wrapped a warm towel around Mr. Kenji's face before shaving him.

barber as subject of shaving / cutting

Common collocations
  • local barber
  • skilled barber
  • old-fashioned barber
  • ask the barber for
Synonyms
  • hairdresser

    broader term; cuts and styles for women and men, often in a salon

  • stylist

    fashion-focused; works on cuts, color, and styling rather than just trimming

  • coiffeur

    formal / French-flavored; usually for upmarket women's salons

Grammar Patterns

a/the barber

go to the barber

Usage Note

Subject is almost always male; in Taiwan and many other places, women's haircuts are usually done by a 'hairdresser' or 'stylist' instead. Often paired with 'go to' or 'visit' rather than 'see'.

Common Mistakes

I went to the barber to dye my hair pink.
I went to the salon / hairdresser to dye my hair pink.
barbers focus on short men's cuts and beards, not coloring or styling.

2. the small shop that a barber works in, where men go to get their hair cut. (Ofte

2.nounB1
Definition

the small shop that a barber works in, where men go to get their hair cut. (Often shortened from 'barber's shop' or 'barber shop'.)

Example

There's a tiny barber on the corner of Elm Street with a striped pole outside.

physical-place noun: 'a barber on/at + location'

Hiro dropped her son off at the barber for his first proper haircut before school.

drop off / pick up + at the barber

Common collocations
  • go to the barber
  • at the barber
  • old-fashioned barber
  • tiny / small barber
Synonyms
  • barber shop

    the explicit two-word form, common in American English

  • salon

    broader term; usually offers coloring and styling, often for women too

Grammar Patterns

go to the barber

at the barber

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (the person): here the noun names a place. In British English the fuller form 'barber's' or 'the barber's' is more common; American English often uses 'barber shop'. Both fit the pattern 'go to the barber'.

Common Mistakes

I cleaned the barber yesterday.' (meaning the place)
I cleaned the barber shop yesterday.
when the meaning could be confused with the person, use 'barber shop' or 'barber's' to be clear.

barber — verb

Word family

  • barbershop
    nounB2
  • barbering
    nounC1
  • barbered
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name someone who cuts hair for a living, but they suggest very different shops and customers. A 'barber' traditionally serves men and boys, focusing on short cuts, beard trims, and clean shaves; the work is fast, practical, and the shop is often plain. A 'hairdresser' is the broadest term, used for someone who cuts and styles hair for women, men, and children alike, usually in a salon. A 'stylist' (or 'hair stylist') leans more fashionable: they care about cuts, colour, and finished looks for clients who want a particular image. 'Coiffeur' is borrowed from French and feels formal or upmarket, mostly for women's salons. So you go to the barber for a quick trim, but you book a stylist for a wedding hairdo.

barber ↗hairdresser ↗stylistcoiffeur

Common collocations

Nouns

  • barber shop
  • barber's chair
  • barber's pole
  • barber's apron

Phrases

  • go to the barber
  • see the barber
  • the local barber
  • an old-fashioned barber

Prepositions

  • at the barber
  • to the barber
  • by the barber

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

The word entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'barbeor', which itself came from Latin 'barba' meaning 'beard'. So at heart, a barber is literally 'a beard person' — someone whose trade was dealing with facial hair. In medieval Europe barbers also pulled teeth and performed minor surgery, which is why old shops often had a red-and-white striped pole: the colours represented blood and bandages. Over the centuries the surgical side disappeared, and the word narrowed to today's meaning of cutting men's hair and trimming beards.