A person whose job is to cut, trim, and style hair, especially men’s hair and beards. Barbers often work in small shops called barbershops.
It comes from Old French “barbier,” from Latin “barba,” meaning beard. The original focus was on trimming beards rather than hair in general.
Barbers used to do far more than cut hair—they sometimes performed minor surgeries and pulled teeth. The red-and-white barber pole is a leftover symbol of blood and bandages from those medical days.
'Barber' has traditionally been coded male, both as a profession and a social role, with 'barbershop' culture centered on men and boys. Women performing similar work were often labeled differently (e.g., 'hairdresser') and excluded from formal barbering spaces or training.
Use 'barber' for people of any gender who provide barbering services, and avoid assuming barbers or clients are male. If gender is relevant, specify it rather than relying on stereotypes.
["hair professional","haircutter","stylist"]
Women barbers have long cut hair, run shops, and trained apprentices, contributing to barbering traditions even when titles and norms tried to confine them to separate roles.
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