barrier

/ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/

//ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"barrier" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“barrier” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,574 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,574
frequency rank, English
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A structure that bars passage.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

barrier vs barter
71% similar
barrier vs barrio
71% similar
barrier vs barring
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for barrier
PropertyValue
Headwordbarrier
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,574
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “barrier” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). barrier lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for barrier is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,574 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for barrier, with forms such as "abrrier", "barier", and "barirer". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "barter", "barrio", "barring", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English barryer, barrere, barryȝer, from Old French barriere (compare French barrière), from Old French barre (“bar”). The correct English form is barrier, spelled B-A-R-R-I-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A structure that bars passage.
  2. 2
    An obstacle or impediment.
  3. 3
    A boundary or limit.
  4. 4
    A node (in government and binding theory) said to intervene between other nodes A and B if it is a potential governor for B, c-commands B, and does not c-command A.
  5. 5
    A separation between two areas of the body where specialized cells allow the entry of certain substances but prevent the entry of others.
  6. 6
    The lists in a tournament.
  7. 7
    A martial exercise of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Etymology

From Middle English barryer, barrere, barryȝer, from Old French barriere (compare French barrière), from Old French barre (“bar”).

This word in other languages

barrera(Español)barrière(Français)Sperre(Deutsch)barreira(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abrrier,barier,barirer,barreir,barrierr,barrire,bbarrier,brarier

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of barrier - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

abrrier2barier1barirer2barreir2barrierr1barrire2bbarrier1brarier2
Edit distance from "barrier"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "barrier"?
"barrier" is spelled B-A-R-R-I-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/.
What does "barrier" mean?
As a noun, "barrier" means: A structure that bars passage.
What words are commonly confused with "barrier"?
"barrier" is commonly confused with "barter", "barrio", "barring". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "barrier"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "barrier" is /ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "barrier"?
From Middle English barryer, barrere, barryȝer, from Old French barriere (compare French barrière), from Old French barre (“bar”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “barrier”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-A-R-R-I-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbæɹi.ə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “barter” - see the side-by-side comparison. barrier vs barter
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list