WordGarden.iobarrow
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈærəʊ/
US
- /ˈbæroʊ/
Meanings
Noun
a small handcart for moving loads, especially a wheelbarrow
an ancient mound of earth or stones raised over a grave
a castrated male pig raised for meat
Beyond the definition
A barrow is a word with several lives, and context decides which one you mean. In everyday language, especially in British English, it usually points to a wheelbarrow or sturdy handcart used to carry soil, rocks, or refuse. In older market settings, you may also hear about a "street barrow," a flat cart pushed around by vendors. In archaeology, the same word shifts to mean an ancient burial mound—an earthen monument raised above a grave. So in a sentence, this could be practical gardening gear, market transport, or a prehistoric memorial.
The word "barrow" carries a rich, layered meaning with three common uses. Most often, it refers to a handcart or wheelbarrow used for carrying loads in gardens, farms, and building sites. The form and term often overlap: one speaker may say a wheelbarrow is a barrow, while another means a hand-propelled cart. A typical sentence is, "The gardener filled the barrow with mulch and carried it to the next flower bed."
In archaeology, a barrow is an ancient burial mound, also called a tumulus or long barrow. These man-made hills of earth and stone often cover one or more graves and are common across Neolithic and Bronze Age landscapes in Europe, especially in Britain. "The team spent a summer season studying several barrows on the downs to learn about early ceremonial life."
In farming, a barrow is a castrated male pig, usually young and reared for meat. This usage is specialized, but very standard in husbandry, and helps distinguish it from an intact boar.
So whether you are hauling compost, reading an archaeological map, or talking to farmers at market, this term connects hands-on labor, ancient history, and rural life in one surprisingly versatile word.
Examples
- 1
Gardening
He loaded the soil into a barrow and pushed it across the garden.
- 2
Market selling
By six o’clock, the fruit sellers had already set up their barrows in the market square.
- Phraseset up a barrow
prepare a small cart or stall for selling
- 3
Ancient burial
The path runs past an old barrow on the hill.
- Domain
in history, a barrow is an ancient burial mound
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- pushcart
Contrast
Do not confuse
- burial mound
Used with (collocations)
- push a barrow
- barrow load
- market barrow
Explore
- porter
- street vendor
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- barrownoun
Forms
- barrowspluralnoun