# Barbie

/ˈbɑɹbi/ (US) · /bˈɑːbi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/barbie
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. fashion doll

noun · CEFR A2

a famous brand of tall, thin fashion doll for children.

For teachers: a trademarked brand of fashion doll; often used generically to refer to the specific aesthetic associated with the toy.

- She spent the whole afternoon dressing up her Barbie in different outfits.
- The marketing campaign for the new film successfully revitalised the Barbie brand for a generation that had largely moved on to digital toys.

### 2. a barbecue

noun · CEFR B1 · British English · Dialect · Informal

a casual word for a barbecue or a grill used for cooking food outside.

For teachers: an informal term for a barbecue, referring to both the cooking apparatus and the social gathering itself.

- We are going to have a barbie at the beach this weekend if the weather stays warm.
- The hosts spent the afternoon preparing steaks and sausages for the barbie while guests gathered on the patio with cold drinks.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'shrimp on the barbie'.

Teaching tip: While understood globally, this is specifically associated with Australian and New Zealand English.

### 3. shallow woman

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a rude word for a woman who is attractive but seen as unintelligent or shallow.

For teachers: a derogatory slang term for a woman perceived as physically attractive but lacking in depth or intelligence.

- He was being very rude when he called her a 'typical Barbie' just because she likes fashion.
- The character in the play was written as a shallow Barbie, but the actress gave her a surprising amount of emotional depth.

Teaching tip: This usage is often considered sexist and offensive; learners should be aware of its negative connotations.

## Examples

- She loves playing with her new Barbie doll.
- The party had a full Barbie theme with pink decorations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.