Wordwyrt

barrier

/ˈbæɹiə/BA-ree-ur
/ˈbæɹiɚ/BA-ree-ur

Meaningto bar, block

Common meaning: something that blocks the way

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchbarrer‘to bar up’source
  2. Frenchbarriére‘a barrier’source
  3. Middle Englishbarreresource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsto bar up → something that blocks the waybarrier‘something that blocks the way’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old French barrer ‘to bar, block’.

Roots

  • barrer Old French “to bar, block”

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