Barber
/ˈbɑːr.bər/noun
A person whose job is cutting hair, shaving, and grooming.
Did you know?For centuries, barbers did not just cut hair—they also performed bloodletting and minor surgery, which is why the barber pole is tied to the old medical practice of bleeding.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*barb-
“To stammer or speak unclearly; the source of the idea of foreign-sounding speech”
Ancient Greek
Greek
βάρβαρος (bárbaros)
“A foreigner, originally someone whose speech sounded like 'bar-bar'”
Latin
Latin
barbārus
“Foreign, uncivilized; later also savage or barbaric”
Old French
Old French
barbier
“A barber; a person who shaves and cuts hair”
Middle English
English
barbour / barber
“A barber or shaver”
Modern English
English
barber
“A person who cuts hair and shaves beards”
Explore more surprising origins