barbed wire

noun

1. a wire or strand of wires having small pieces of sharply pointed wire twisted around it at short intervals, used chiefly for fencing in livestock, keeping out trespassers, etc.

barbed wire

noun

1. strong wire with sharply pointed barbs at close intervals Also called (US)barbwire

Word History and Origins

Origin of barbed wire¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Related Words

• fence
• fencing