Baron and barren are two words that are pronounced in the same manner but are spelled differently and have different meanings, which makes them homophones. We will examine the definitions of baron and barren, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
Baron is the lowest rank of British nobility. The form of address for a baron is “Lord”. Other Europeans also use the social rank of baron. The word baron is also used figuratively to designate a powerful person in a certain area of business, such as a cattle baron or an oil baron. Baron refers to a male, the wife of a baron is a baroness and is addressed as “Lady”. The word baron is derived from the Latin word baro meaning man.
Barren describes something that is not fecund or fertile, such as a tree, plant, desert or person who is unable to bear children. Barren is used figuratively to describe something lifeless, sterile or abandoned, something that is lacking. The word barren is an adjective, related words are barrenly and barrenness. It is derived from the Old French word baraigne, meaning sterile.
Examples
Composed between 1782 and 1784, this concerto was written at a time when Mozart was frequenting the Viennese musical soirées at the home of the Baron von Swieten, who favored the music of Handel and J.S. Bach. (The Berkeley Daily Planet)
Jim Justice. Justice, a billionaire coal baron who was elected as a Democrat in 2016, announced he was switching parties last year at a rally with Trump, and Republicans announced the retreat location a few months later. (Mother Jones Magazine)
The only other fox native to southern New Mexico is the kit fox, which is much smaller, less common and mostly confined to barren desert habitats. (The Las Cruces Sun News)
Enjoyed reading about these homophones? Check out some others we covered:
- Hi vs. High
- Higher vs. Hire