barrow

1 of 3

noun (1)

bar·​row ˈber-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce barrow (audio)
ˈba-(ˌ)rō
1
: mountain, mound
used only in the names of hills in England
2
: a large mound of earth or stones over the remains of the dead : tumulus

barrow

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a male hog castrated before sexual maturity

barrow

3 of 3

noun (3)

1
2
: a cart with a shallow box body, two wheels, and shafts for pushing it
street vendors pushing their barrows

Examples of barrow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
The ancient long barrow, located at the border of the villages Dlouhé Dvory and Lípa in the country’s eastern Bohemia region, measures roughly 620 feet long and 50 feet wide at its largest point. Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 2 July 2024 Another Bronze Age cemetery located ten miles from Stonehenge features 20 barrows, or circular mounds, some of which show signs of cremation. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 One such barrow likely started as an oval, but was later reworked into a shape that was more circular. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2023 Beneath this barrow, archaeologists found a mass grave, which held the remains of both children and adults. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2023 The burial ground includes more than 20 barrows, or circular mounds. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2023 The new geophysical survey, released in September, includes several previously unidentified burial mounds and an earth and timber chamber, called a long barrow, that was likely used for excarnation: the act of removing flesh from the bones of the deceased in preparation for burial. Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2014 One recent night under a freezing drizzle, a man named Zarlialai, 40, leaned against his rusty barrow. Pamela Constable, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2023 They were buried in a prominent position marked by small barrow mounds (ancient burial places covered with a large mound of earth and stones). Duncan Sayer, Discover Magazine, 9 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bergh, from Old English beorg; akin to Old High German berg mountain, Sanskrit bṛhant high

Noun (2)

Middle English barow, from Old English bearg; akin to Old High German barug barrow

Noun (3)

Middle English barew, from Old English bearwe; akin to Old English beran to carry — more at bear

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near barrow

Cite this Entry

“Barrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrow. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

barrow

1 of 2 noun
bar·​row ˈbar-ō How to pronounce barrow (audio)
: a large burial mound of earth or stones

barrow

2 of 2 noun
1
: a structure that has handles and sometimes a wheel and is used for carrying things
2
: a cart with a shallow box body, two wheels, and shafts for pushing it : pushcart
Etymology

Noun

Old English beorg "mound"

Noun

Old English bearwe "barrow"

Biographical Definition

Barrow

biographical name

Isaac 1630–1677 English mathematician and theologian

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