barre

¹ American  

[bahr] / bɑr /

Or bar

noun

Ballet.

1. a handrail placed at hip height, used by a dancer to maintain balance during practice.

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barré ² American  

[bah-rey] / bɑˈreɪ /

noun

1. Textiles. a pattern of stripes or bands of color extending across the warp in woven and knitted fabrics.

2. Textiles. a streak in the filling direction when one or more picks are of a color different from that of adjacent picks.

3. Music. a technique of playing a chord on a stringed instrument by laying a finger across the strings at a particular fret, raising their pitch.

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barré ¹ British  

/ ˈbæreɪ /

noun

1. the act of laying the index finger over some or all of the strings of a guitar, lute, or similar instrument, so that the pitch of each stopped string is simultaneously raised Compare capo 1

2. the playing of chords in this manner

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verb

1. to execute (chords) in this manner

adverb

1. by using the barré

barre ² British  

/ bar /

noun

1. a rail at hip height used for ballet practice and leg exercises

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Etymology

Origin of barre¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Origin of barré²

< French: literally, barred, past participle of barrer, derivative of barre bar ¹

Explanation

The rail that a ballet dancer holds while warming up is called a barre. Ballet teachers also refer to these pre-dance exercises themselves as barre, or barre work. In French, the word barre means "bar," and that's just what it is: a sturdy, horizontal rail made of smooth wood and metal. Dancers place one hand on the barre to practice perfectly synchronized pliés, and they hold the barre with two hands to do deep backbends. Barre classes teach ballet and yoga techniques using the stability of a barre for holding poses and stretches.

Example Sentences

One is familiar and increasingly specific: a good leotard, fleece-lined tights, an extra water bottle, Band-Aids for blisters, putty-colored flats for barre, a pair of low, strappy heels for salsa.

From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026

I now spy weights in the corner of friends’ kitchens, and a surprising number of them tell me about daily online weight classes or a new passion they’ve developed for Pilates or barre.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 11, 2025

Sheena Gough is 89 years old but she can easily lift her leg on to a ballet barre to demonstrate elegant dance moves to her class.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2025

Increased interest has pushed Westside Ballet to add 12 more adult dance classes to its schedule, including ballet, pointe instruction, jazz, ballroom, floor barre and theater jazz.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

As I held the barre in the pointe-shoe store, I rolled up onto the tips of my toes, as my teacher had taught us.

From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince