Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense barters, present participle bartering, past tense, past participle bartered
verb
If you barter goods, you exchange them for other goods, rather than selling them for money.
They have been bartering wheat for cotton and timber. [VERB noun + for]
The market-place and street were crowded with those who'd come to barter. [VERB]
Traders came to barter horses. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: trade, sell, exchange, switch More Synonyms of barter
Barter is also a noun.
Overall, barter is a very inefficient means of organizing transactions.
...a barter economy.
barter in British English
(ˈbɑːtə)
verb
1.
to trade (goods, services, etc) in exchange for other goods, services, etc, rather than for money
the refugees bartered for food
2. (intransitive)
to haggle over the terms of such an exchange; bargain
noun
3.
trade by the exchange of goods
Derived forms
barterer (ˈbarterer)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Old French barater to cheat; perhaps related to Greek prattein to do
barter in American English
(ˈbɑrtər)
verb intransitive
1.
to trade by exchanging goods or services without using money
verb transitive
2.
to give (goods or services) in return for other goods or services; trade
noun
3.
the act or practice of bartering
4.
anything bartered
SIMILAR WORDS: sell
Idioms:
barter away
Derived forms
barterer (ˈbarterer)
noun
Word origin
ME bartren < OFr barater, to barter, cheat: see barrator
Examples of 'barter' in a sentence
barter
Then wait for firms to barter over our collective custom.
The Sun (2014)
Then simply sit back and wait for firms to barter over our collective custom.
The Sun (2014)
Be prepared to barter for bargains.
The Sun (2009)
The only difference is that they will often barter rather than pay cash as Western companies do.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The emerging legal and monetary system allowed exchange over a wide area without having to haul around bulky goods for barter or trade.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
I used to watch that show and get tips on how to bargain and barter.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Rent a friend is an attempt to transform the barter economy of companionship into the kind of hard financial assessments that influence our romantic choices.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
British economy reduced to barter.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You can do a barter programme, trade 'em up.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All the same, I do find all this barter activity rather inspiring.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
barter
British English: barter VERB
If you barter goods, you exchange them for other goods, rather than selling them for money.
He is a trader who brings household goods to the countryside to barter for crops.
American English: barter
Brazilian Portuguese: permutar
Chinese: 以物易物
European Spanish: hacer trueque
French: troquer
German: tauschen
Italian: barattare
Japanese: 物々交換する
Korean: 교역하다
European Portuguese: permutar
Latin American Spanish: hacer trueque
(verb)
Definition
to trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services, rather than for money
They have been bartering wheat for cotton and timber.
Synonyms
trade
They had years of experience trading with the west.
sell
I sold everything I owned except for my car and books.
exchange
We exchanged addresses.
switch
The ballot boxes have been switched.
traffic
Anyone who trafficked in illegal goods was brought to justice.
bargain
Shop in small local markets and don't be afraid to bargain.
swap
Some hostages were swapped for convicted prisoners.
haggle
Ella taught her how to haggle with used furniture dealers.
drive a hard bargain
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bargain
Shop in small local markets and don't be afraid to bargain.
Synonyms
haggle,
deal,
sell,
trade,
traffic,
barter,
drive a hard bargain
in the sense of exchange
Definition
to replace (one thing) with another, esp. to replace unsatisfactory goods
We exchanged addresses.
Synonyms
interchange,
change,
trade,
switch,
swap,
truck,
barter,
reciprocate,
bandy,
give to each other,
give to one another
in the sense of haggle
Definition
to bargain or wrangle (over a price)
Ella taught her how to haggle with used furniture dealers.