Edwin Lord Weeks, "The Barber" A barber (from the Latin barba,
"beard") is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress,
groom, style and shave males' hair. A barber's place of work is
known as a "barber shop" or a "barber's". Barber shops are also
places of social interaction and public discourse. In some
instances, barbershops are also public forums. They are the
locations of open debates, voicing public concerns, and engaging
citizens in discussions about contemporary issues. They were
also influential in helping shape male identity. In previous
times, barbers (known as barber surgeons) also performed surgery
and dentistry. With the development of safety razors and the
decreasing prevalence of beards, in American and Commonwealth
cultures, most barbers specialize in cutting men's hair. Many
barbers may still deal with facial hair if requested. |This
section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2011)|
In modern times, the term "barber" is used both as a
professional title and to refer to h