barbed wire

noun

1. a wire or strand of wires having small pieces of sharply pointed wire twisted around it at short intervals, used chiefly for fencing in livestock, keeping out trespassers, etc.

noun

1. strong wire with sharply pointed barbs at close intervalsAlso called (US): barbwire

n.

also barb wire, “fencing wire with sharp edges or points,” 1863, American English, from barb + wire (n.).