barn

noun

ˈbärn 

1

a

: a usually large building for the storage of farm products or feed and usually for the housing of farm animals or farm equipment

b

: an unusually large and usually bare building

a great barn of a hotel

—W. A. White

2

: a large building for the housing of a fleet of vehicles (such as trolley cars or trucks)

barnlike

ˈbärn-ˌlīk 

adjective

barny

ˈbär-nē 

adjective

Examples of barn in a Sentence

They live in a big barn of a house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pair yours with moto boots and an oversized barn jacket or leather bomber for an ingenious juxtaposition. —Laura Lajiness Kaupke, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024

Workwear, the barn jacket’s revival plays into the upward funnel of the trend cycle. —Aemilia Madden, refinery29.com, 21 Oct. 2024

When a tornado destroyed the barn seven years ago, a local craftsman repurposed the beams and used some to create what is now the Stratfords’ mantel. —Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 17 Oct. 2024

Haunted attractions at Blake’s Big Apple will include zombie paintball, a haunted barn, a spooky 3D maze, a haunted hayride, and more. —Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bern, from Old English bereærn, from bere barley + ærn house, store

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing barn

• barn burner
• barn dance
• barn lot
• barn owl
• barn raising
• barn swallow

Kids Definition

barn

noun

ˈbärn 

: a building used chiefly for storing grain and hay and for housing farm animals or farm equipment

Medical Definition

barn

noun

ˈbärn 

: a unit of area equal to 10⁻²⁴ square centimeters that is used in nuclear physics for measuring cross section