Usage Note
Barbier is an older or more formal word for a male hairdresser specializing in shaving and beard trimming, now associated with the 'barbershop' revival. The more common everyday term is le coiffeur for a hair salon professional. Le barbier de Séville, Beaumarchais's famous character, gave the word literary prestige.
Examples
"Le barbier lui taille la barbe avec soin."
Natural Translation
The barber trims his beard with care.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
6 min read