bartering

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bar•ter /ˈbɑrtɚ/   v. 

1. to trade by exchanging goods rather than by money: [no object]
   When money was scarce they simply bartered.
   [~ + object]
   to barter wheat for machinery.

n. [uncountable]

2. the act or practice of bartering.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bar•ter  (bär′tər), v.i. 

1. to trade by exchange of commodities rather than by the use of money.

v.t. 

2. to exchange in trade, as one commodity for another;
   trade.
3. to bargain away unwisely or dishonorably (usually fol. by away):
   bartering away his pride for material gain.

n. 

4. the act or practice of bartering.
5. items or an item for bartering:
   We arrived with new barter for the villagers.

• Anglo-French, Old French bareter, barater (see barrator), with shift of sense
• late Middle English, apparently 1400–50

bar′ter•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. traffic. See trade. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

barter / ˈbɑːtə/ verb

1. to trade (goods, services, etc) in exchange for other goods, services, etc, rather than for money
2. (intransitive) to haggle over the terms of such an exchange; bargain

noun

1. trade by the exchange of goods

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French barater to cheat; perhaps related to Greek prattein to do