# Barnstaple

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈbɑː(ɹ)nstəpəɫ/ · frequency rank #68,851

## Definitions
1. A town and civil parish with a town council in North Devon district, Devon, England (OS grid ref SS5633).

## Etymology
Formerly Barnstable; the name is first recorded in the 10th century and is believed to derive from the Old English bearde (“battle-axe”) and stapol (“pillar”). Not related to staple in the sense of a market, which arose later.

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