bark — the hard outer covering of a tree trunk
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the hard outer covering of a tree trunk
Pronunciation (IPA): /bɑːrk/
Example Sentences
- My neighbor's dog loves to bark at the mailman every morning at exactly 9 AM.
- The old tree's bark was so thick that woodpeckers gave up trying to find insects.
- Don't bark at me just because you had a bad day at work!
bark
NOUN[/bɑːrk/]
the hard outer covering of a tree trunk

Peeling tree bark carefully

In the dark, bark creates a spark!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'bark' has two distinct etymological origins that converged in form. The noun meaning tree bark derives from Old Norse 'börkr' (tree bark), while the verb meaning to make a sharp sound derives from Old English 'beorcan' (to bark). Despite identical spelling in modern English, these words evolved from entirely different Germanic roots.
Breakdown
Noun: Old Norse 'börkr' (tree bark), related to Proto-Germanic '*berkōn-'. Verb: Old English 'beorcan' (to bark, make a sharp sound), from Proto-Germanic '*berkan-', likely imitative in origin.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My neighbor's dog loves to bark at the mailman every morning at exactly 9 AM.”
“The old tree's bark was so thick that woodpeckers gave up trying to find insects.”
“Don't bark at me just because you had a bad day at work!”
“The chef would bark instructions so loudly that even customers could hear him.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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