barcode

noun

bar·​code ˈbär-ˌkōd 

variants or less commonly bar code

plural barcodes also bar codes

1

: a code consisting of a group of printed and variously patterned bars and spaces and sometimes numerals that is designed to be scanned and read into computer memory and that contains information (such as identification) about the object it labels

… one version of the barcode reader used in supermarkets employs a laser scanner.

—Science

I on the other hand boarded the traditional way. I handed my paper printout to the airport personnel, who scanned the barcode before letting me proceed.

—Sanjeeb Patel

2

biology : something (such as a DNA sequence) that uniquely identifies a species of organism

… they now plan to analyze each fish sample by decoding a certain tiny piece of DNA that can serve as a unique bar code for the species.

—Christen Brownlee

bar-coded

ˈbär-ˌkō-dəd 

adjective

bar coding noun

Examples of barcode in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Marlena Velez, 22, is accused of using a false barcode to scan more than a dozen items at a self-checkout register, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 3 Dec. 2024

Surveillance footage of the new incident shared by the authorities showed the dark-haired influencer using the self-checkout register to scan false barcodes. —Clare Fisher, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024

Over the years it's been updated to include gift guides and even technology that allows participants to update their wishlist by scanning barcodes. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 2 Dec. 2024

At the self-checkout register, the woman did not scan the items’ barcodes but instead scanned a false barcode with cheaper prices, police said in a press release. —Bradford Betz, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024

Computer vision recognizes products without scanning barcodes, speeding up both self-checkout and traditional lanes. —Yevgeni Tsirulnik, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

Marlena Velez, 22, stole around $500 worth of goods from a Target in Cape Coral, Fla., by swiping barcodes for cheaper items at self-checkout and bagging more expensive items instead, the Cape Coral Police Department said in a press release. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024

One subject of enquiries is the new digital ticketing system, which the fans forum and Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) have already relayed concerns about from match-goers because barcodes are located deep within the official app, rather than on phone wallets. —Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

Most states use special US Postal Inspection Service barcodes to monitor ballots in transit. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 15 Sep. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bar code

noun

: a code made up of a group of printed and variously spaced bars and sometimes numerals that is designed to be scanned and read into computer memory and that contains information (as identification) about the object it labels