barefoot

American  

[bair-foot] / ˈbɛərˌfʊt /

adjective

1. Also barefooted. with the feet bare.

   a barefoot boy;

   to walk barefoot.

2. Carpentry. (of a post or stud) secured to a sill or the like without mortising.

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barefoot British  

/ ˈbɛəˌfʊt /

adjective

1. with the feet uncovered

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Etymology

Origin of barefoot

before 1000; Middle English barfot, Old English bærfōt. See bare ¹, foot

Example Sentences

Scores of bare-chested flagellants with covered faces walked barefoot through the dusty streets of Pampanga province's San Fernando as they flogged their backs with bamboo whips in scorching heat.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

They walked in single file, many of them barefoot, carrying flowers, handing out bracelets and picking up new followers along the way.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

Due to the water’s high mineral content, the fall’s boulders have developed a spongy texture that allows you to climb barefoot while water gushes over your feet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

The song, performed on the programme barefoot, in a pair of golden-feathered trousers and a red shawl, was followed by a debut album last May.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

Early on, supplies became so short and the fighting so chaotic that many Red Army soldiers were reduced to wearing rags and going barefoot.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein