What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Barn vs Ranch - What's the difference?

barn | ranch |

As nouns the difference between barn and ranch

is that barn is a building, often found on a farm, used for storage or keeping animals such as cattle while ranch is a large plot of land used for raising cattle, sheep or other livestock.

As verbs the difference between barn and ranch

is that barn is to lay up in a barn while ranch is to operate a ranch; engage in ranching.

barn

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) bern, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (label) A building, often found on a farm, used for storage or keeping animals such as cattle.
  • * , chapter=11
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=One day I was out in the barn and he drifted in. I was currying the horse and he set down on the wheelbarrow and begun to ask questions.}}
  • (label) A unit of surface area equal to 10-28 square metres.
  • An arena.
    • Derived terms
    * barnstar * barnstorm * barnyard * barn dance * barn door * barn owl * barn-raising * born in a barn * raised in a barn * smell the barn

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To lay up in a barn.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Men often barn up the chaff, and burn up the grain.
    (Fuller)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) barn, bern, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dialect, parts of Northern England) A child.
    • Synonyms
    * (child) bairn

    Anagrams

    * * English syncopic forms ----

    ranch

    English

    Noun

    (ranches)
  • A large plot of land used for raising cattle, sheep or other livestock.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1899, author=(Stephen Crane)
    • , title=, chapter=1 , passage=There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].”}}
  • A small farm that cultivates vegetables and/or livestock.
  • A house or property on a ranch land.
  • Ranch dressing.

    • Derived terms

    * rancher * ranchhand * ranchslider, ranch slider

    Verb

    (es)
  • To operate a ranch; engage in ranching.
    • Formally the widow still ranches''', in fact she leaves all ' ranching to the foreman
  • To work on a ranch
  • :: ''Bill had ranched only five years when his dad made him foreman