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

The grounds are also outfitted for breeding, training and racing horses, with a track, multiple barns and housing for a general manager, jockeys and staff. —Mimi Montgomery, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025

From $130 per night. BOOK NOW Courtesy of Airbnb Courtesy of Airbnb Barn Loft in Hinesburg, Vermont Perks: Scenic, garden view, Apple TV, waterfront, backyard Rustic woodwork, open cathedral ceilings, and lots of natural sunlight add warmth to this barn turned vacation rental in Vermont. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Feb. 2025

Farm workers are required to change into separate uniforms before entering any chicken barn. —Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025

In the case of Fox, however, worrying about this sort of thing brings to mind the expression about horses and barn doors. —Jon Allsop, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for barn

• arn
• barne
• carn
• darn
• garn
• karn
• skarn
• yarn

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