/ Dictionary / Index B barbed wire: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: barbed' wire' Pronunciation: [key] a wire or strand of wires having small pieces of sharply pointed wire twisted around it at short intervals, used chiefly for fencing in livestock, keeping out trespassers, etc. Also called Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. barbed tributary barbel Related Content Daily Word Quiz: secular Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language