What does barrelled mean?
“Barrelled” is primarily the British past tense and past participle of the verb “barrel,” meaning to place or store something in a barrel. It is especially associated with drinks such as ale, beer, and whisky that are matured in wooden casks. The word can also function as an adjective meaning fitted or equipped with a barrel, most often when describing a firearm, though this use is less frequent than the verbal one. In British usage, the double l in “barrelled” matches the spelling of “barrel”; American English generally uses “barreled.” The word is consequently useful for describing both the practical process of casking or storing a product and the characteristic appearance of a barrelled weapon. Its spelling and specialized associations give it a distinctly traditional character, especially in descriptions of brewing, distilling, and firearms.
The past tense and past participle of “barrel”: to place or store something in a barrel.
"The distillery barrelled the new spirit in oak casks."
Usually transitive and commonly used in brewing, distilling, and food-storage contexts.
Having or fitted with a barrel, especially of a firearm.
"The museum displayed a heavily decorated barrelled pistol."
This sense is less common than the verbal use and is chiefly associated with weapons and machinery.
The double l in “barrelled” is a clue to its British spelling; American English usually writes “barreled.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does barrelled come from?
“Barrelled” is an inflected form of “barrel,” whose word comes through Old French “baril,” a small cask, from Medieval Latin and ultimately a Latin word associated with a bar or plank. The verb originally referred to placing an object in a cask or barrel, while the related adjectival use refers to something that has a barrel. Related forms include “barrique,” a cask or barrel, and “barricade,” which developed through a word connected with a barrel or cask.
Related word forms
How barrelled is actually used
The two-l spelling is standard in British English, while “barreled” is standard in American English. The verb is normally used as a past tense or past participle, as in “They barrelled the wine,” and the adjective sense is relatively uncommon.
Easily confused with barrelled
“Barrelled” can mean stored in a barrel or having a barrel, whereas “barred” means blocked, prevented, or fitted with a bar.