English Explanatory Dictionary

barrier

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A structure that bars passage.
  2. An obstacle or impediment.
  3. A boundary or limit.
  4. 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.
  5. A separation between two areas of the body where specialized cells allow the entry of certain substances but prevent the entry of others.
  6. The lists in a tournament.
  7. A martial exercise of the 15th and 16th centuries.
verb
  1. To block or obstruct with a barrier.
name
  1. A surname from French.

Pronunciation

/ˈbæɹi.ə/ /ˈbaɹɪjə/ /ˈbæɹi.ɚ/ /ˈbɛɹi.ɚ/ en-us-barrier.ogg /ˈbɛɹi.ə/ /ˈbaɾe.əɾ/ /ˈbaɾi.ə/

Word forms

barrier barriers barriering barriered

Etymology

From Middle English barryer, barrere, barryȝer, from Old French barriere (compare French barrière), from Old French barre (“bar”).

Synonyms

bar

Derived words

acoustic barrier allobarrier automatic half-barrier level crossing barrier board barrier cream barrier island barrier lake barrierless barrierlike barrier method barrier nursing barrier reef barrier ridge barrier rogue barrier to entry barrier to trade barrier troops barristor biobarrier blood-brain barrier boom barrier color barrier Coulomb barrier crash barrier crowd control barrier crush barrier cyberbarrier death barrier diffusion-barrier Einstein barrier Great Barrier Island Great Barrier Reef half-barrier heat barrier hematoencephalic barrier ice barrier immunobarrier Jersey barrier language barrier light barrier memory barrier metabarrier multibarrier nanobarrier New Jersey barrier noise barrier non-tariff barrier police barrier racial barrier Schottky barrier security barrier sonic barrier sound barrier species barrier subbarrier superbarrier tariff barrier ticket barrier tilt barrier time barrier
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