bark

The word “bark” means to make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs. In plain terms, either the sound a dog makes, or the tough outer layer of a tree — two unrelated meanings that happen to share a spelling.

“Bark” is pronounced bahk (/bɑɹk/ in IPA).

Here is “bark” used in a sentence: “The dog barked wildly at the mail carrier.”

Depending on how it is used, “bark” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “bark” comes from Old English. From Old English beorcan ("to bark"), an ancient Germanic word related to sounds of growling or droning; the tree-covering sense is a separate, unrelated word borrowed from Old Norse.

“Bark” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Bark” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs.

Bark refers to the sharp, loud vocal sound typical of dogs, usually short and repeated, while a howl is a prolonged, mournful vocal sound. Dogs bark to alert or communicate quickly, whereas howling tends to be sustained and used for different signaling purposes.

These are two unrelated meanings of the same word: tree bark is the tough outer covering of a trunk and branches, while a dog's bark is the sharp sound it makes vocally. Context makes clear which sense is meant, since one refers to a plant structure and the other to an animal sound.

When a person barks at someone, it means they speak in a sharp, loud, commanding tone, similar to the abrupt sound a dog makes. This figurative use often describes an order or reprimand delivered forcefully.