barb

1 of 4

noun (1)

1
: a medieval cloth headdress passing over or under the chin and covering the neck
2
a
: a sharp projection extending backward (as from the point of an arrow or fishhook) and preventing easy extraction
also : a sharp projection with its point similarly oblique to something else
b
: a biting or pointedly critical remark or comment
3
4
: any of the side branches of the shaft of a feather see feather illustration
5
: a plant hair or bristle ending in a hook
barbless adjective

barb

2 of 4

verb

barbed; barbing; barbs

transitive verb

: to furnish with a barb

barb

3 of 4

noun (2)

: any of a northern African breed of horses that are noted for speed and endurance

barb

4 of 4

noun (3)

slang

Examples of barb in a Sentence

Noun (1) delivered one last barb to his ex-girlfriend as he stalked away
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Cboe Volatility Index, a gauge of fear on Wall Street, spiked as the leaders traded barbs. Hakyung Kim,alex Harring, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2025 Taiwan and China have also traded barbs this week over the severing of an undersea communications cable off the island’s southwest coast. Reuters, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
Instead of Jimmy Kimmel, a memorable host in the recent past with a keen appreciation for puncturing pretensions, there is Conan O’Brien who, while familiar, remains an unknown quantity in how politically barbed his opening monologue might be. Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2025 When co-creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson and the rest of their creative team home in on what makes these girls and women tick, maneuvering the characters to reflect the thin line between civility and the feral, Yellowjackets is luscious, immersive, and barbed. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barb

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English barbe barb, beard, from Anglo-French, from Latin barba — more at beard

Noun (2)

French barbe, from Italian barbero, from barbero of Barbary, from Barberia Barbary, coastal region in Africa

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1759, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1610, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barb was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barb. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

barb

noun
ˈbärb
1
a
: a sharp point that sticks out and backward (as from the point of an arrow or fishhook)
b
: any of various sharp parts (as the side branch of a feather) that stick out from a plant or animal
2
: an often witty remark intended to hurt a person's feelings
barbless
-ləs
adjective
Etymology

Noun

Middle English barbe "barb, beard," from early French barbe (same meaning), from Latin barba "beard" — related to barber

Medical Definition

barb

noun
slang

More from Merriam-Webster on barb

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