- anything serving to obstruct passage or to maintain separation, such as a fence or gate
- anything that prevents or obstructs passage, access, or progress
- anything that separates or hinders union: a language barrier
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bar•ri•er /ˈbæriɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- something, such as a fence, that bars passage or progress.
- something that obstructs or limits:trade barriers.
bar•ri•er
(bar′ē ər),USA pronunciation n.
- anything built or serving to bar passage, as a railing, fence, or the like:People may pass through the barrier only when their train is announced.
- any natural bar or obstacle:a mountain barrier.
- anything that restrains or obstructs progress, access, etc.:a trade barrier.
- a limit or boundary of any kind:the barriers of caste.
- Geography[Physical Geog.]an antarctic ice shelf or ice front.
- GeologySee barrier beach.
- World History barriers, [Hist.]the palisade or railing surrounding the ground where tourneys and jousts were carried on.
- [Archaic.]a fortress or stockade.
- Medieval Latin barrera
- Anglo-French
- Latin -āria -ary); replacing Middle English barrere
- Middle French barriere (barre bar1 + -iere
- Middle English 1275–1325
- 1. palisade, wall. 1. –3. obstruction, hindrance, impediment. See bar1.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
barrier /ˈbærɪə/ n