barcode

IPA/ˈbɑːkəʊd/
IPA/ˈbɑːrkəʊd/

barcode — noun

1. A barcode is a rectangular pattern of black lines with different widths, printed

1.nounB1
Definition

A barcode is a rectangular pattern of black lines with different widths, printed on the outside of a product or its package. The pattern stores coded details such as the item's price and identification number, which a laser scanner or camera can read and process automatically.

Example

The cashier scanned the barcode on the cereal box, and the price appeared on screen.

barcode + on + product packaging for scanning

Nikhil checked the barcode on the medicine bottle before buying it online.

check the barcode on [product] for verification

Common collocations
  • scan a barcode
  • read a barcode
  • barcode scanner
  • barcode reader
  • barcode label
  • barcode sticker
  • barcode on a product / package / item
Synonyms
  • UPC

    UPC stands for Universal Product Code, a specific twelve-digit barcode system used in North America; it is a type of barcode, not a synonym for the general concept.

  • QR code

    A QR code is a square two-dimensional code that stores more data than a traditional barcode and can be read by smartphone cameras; the two formats look very different.

Usage Note

Barcode is a countable noun. It is frequently used attributively — for example, 'barcode scanner', 'barcode reader', or 'barcode label.' The word is almost always written as one word (not 'bar code') in contemporary English.

Common Mistakes

Please scan the bar code for me.
Please scan the barcode for me.
'barcode' is now the standard single-word spelling in dictionaries and everyday use.
The cashier used a code bar to scan the items.
The cashier used a barcode scanner to scan the items.
'code bar' is not a correct English term; the compound is 'barcode scanner' or 'barcode reader.'

Word family

  • barcoded
    adjectiveB2
  • barcode scanner
    nounB1
  • barcode reader
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms relate to product identification, but they differ in form and function. A UPC (Universal Product Code) is a specific type of barcode — a twelve-digit number encoded in the familiar black-and-white line pattern used primarily in North America. A QR code is a two-dimensional square grid that can store far more information, such as a website URL, and is designed to be read by smartphone cameras; it is not a barcode in the traditional sense. An SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is an internal alphanumeric code used by a store or warehouse for inventory management — it is not printed on the product as a machine-readable pattern at all. For example, a store might assign an SKU to a pair of shoes for its own records, but the shoes will still have a UPC barcode printed on the box for checkout scanning.

UPC ↗QR codeSKU

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • scan a barcode
  • read a barcode
  • print a barcode

Prepositions

Etymology

English

Barcode is a modern English compound formed from 'bar' (referring to the thin vertical lines of the pattern) and 'code' (a system of symbols used to represent information). The concept was patented in 1952, and barcodes entered everyday use in the 1970s when the Universal Product Code (UPC) was adopted by the retail industry.