# bark

> English word · Verb · IPA /bɑːk/ · frequency rank #8,895

## Definitions
1. To make a short, loud, explosive noise with the vocal organs (said of animals, especially dogs).
2. To make a clamor; to make importunate outcries.
3. To speak sharply.

## Etymology
From Middle English barken, berken, borken, from Old English beorcan (“to bark”), from the Proto-West Germanic *berkan (“to bark”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerg- (“to make a noise, growl, bark”), from *bʰer- (“to drone, hum, buzz”). Cognate with Icelandic berkja (“to bark, bluster”), Icelandic barki (“throat, windpipe”), dialectal Lithuanian burgė́ti (“to growl, grumble, grouch, quarrel”), Serbo-Croatian brbljati (“to murmur”). For the noun, compare Old English beorc, bearce (“barking”)..

## Easily confused with
- **br** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-br)
- **bay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bay)
- **bro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bro)
- **bat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bat)
- **bra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bra)
- **Bas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bas)
- **bor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bor)
- **BRB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-brb)
- **bok** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bok)
- **baz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-baz)
- **Bri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bri)
- **ber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-ber)
- **bur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bur)
- **bru** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bru)
- **Bir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bir)
- **Bau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bau)
- **book** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-book)
- **born** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-born)
- **base** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-base)
- **bear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bark-vs-bear)

## Common misspellings (6)
`abrk`, `bakr`, `barkk`, `barrk`, `bbark`, `brak`

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