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

Outdoor features include garden beds, an orchard, a chicken coop and a large barn. Eva and Jeff Chen with Compass are the listing agents. —Pueng Vongs, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024

Their ocean-facing dream home took four years to build, and the couple also transported a 19th-century barn from Vermont that was converted into a carriage house with a guest apartment. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 28 June 2024

For Konstantin, Geremia transformed a former barn into an office, where bold green and purple fabrics, dark wood furniture, and artworks by Colleen Herman, Catherine Wagner, and Jonathan Wateridge commune. —Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2024

The 18 acres include garden beds, an orchard, chicken coop and a large versatile barn used not only for machinery and tools but for entertainment, fitness and billiards and other games. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 26 June 2024

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

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