barber's pole

2.9

A pole with red and white spiral stripes that shows where people get haircuts or shaves

noun
/ˈbɑːrbərz poʊl/

: poste de barbero

In many countries, the barber's pole is a symbol of hairdressing and shaving.

Examples

He looked for the red-and-white barber's pole before stepping in for a trim.
The traditional barber's pole spun in the breeze outside the corner barbershop.
Look at that barber's pole!
The barber's pole outside the shop is spinning.
The barber's pole outside the shop rotated slowly, indicating that services were available.
When I walked past the barber's pole, the bright red and white stripes caught my eye.
The traditional barber's pole is a familiar sight in many neighborhoods, signifying a barber's shop.

Synonyms

barber's sign

vsbarber's pole

2.5

A sign with red and white stripes that shows a place where people get haircuts

is a spiral vertical post displayed outside rather than a flat board

Surface Forms

barber's pole singular

barber's poles plural

Morphology

barber's + pole

The phrase is compositionally built from 'barber's' (possessive, belonging to a barber) + 'pole' (a long stick), so a B1 learner who knows those words can infer it is a pole associated with a barber — typically the sign outside a barber's shop. The specific cultural detail (red-and-white spiral as a traditional sign) may require cultural knowledge, but the basic referent is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Barber's pole comes from a simple old image: one popular story says barbers used to do small medical jobs like letting blood and would hang a tall pole wrapped in red and white cloth, with red for blood and white for bandages. That's why the spinning barber's pole became the sign for a place that does haircuts and shaves.