# barre vs burr

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### barre
*noun · IPA /bɑː/ · frequency rank #26,008*
A handrail fixed to a wall used for ballet exercises.

### burr
*noun · IPA /bɝ/ · frequency rank #18,031*
A sharp, pointy object, such as a sliver or splinter.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barre-vs-burr