barn gun

noun

ˈbärnən
dialectal, England
: a skin eruption
specifically : shingles

Word History

Etymology

English dialect barn (alteration of burn) + dialect gun, gund scab, from Old English gund- matter, pus; akin to Old High German gunt pus, Norwegian gund dandruff, scab, Gothic, cancerous tumor, and probably to Greek kanthylē swelling, tumor

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near barn gun

Cite this Entry

“Barn gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn%20gun. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!