barra

Barra is a term with multiple meanings in different languages and contexts. In Portuguese and Spanish, barra commonly means a bar or rod, and it can also refer to a barrier or a sandbar that forms at a coastline or river mouth. The word is frequently used in geography and place-naming to describe such features or their vicinity.

Geography and toponymy: The island of Barra is part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, with the village Castlebay and Barra Airport, which is notable for its runway located on a tidal beach. In Brazil, Barra is the name of several places, including Barra, Bahia, a municipality on the Atlantic coast; Barra do Garças, a municipality in Mato Grosso; and Barra, a neighborhood in the city of Salvador, Bahia.

Other uses of the word appear in various proper names and cultural contexts, often reflecting physical features such as sandbars or barriers in the landscape. In addition to regions and districts, the term can be found in local business names and cultural references tied to beaches, rivers, or coastal geography.

Overall, barra functions as both a common noun in Romance languages describing barriers or bars and as a geographical toponym used for diverse places, particularly coastal or riverine sites.