BARTER, the term used to describe the direct exchange of commodities without the use of a medium of exchange. Barter still exists in the interior of Africa and of South America. Barter from Fr. barater, to exchange, to truck, reminds us that, however the processes of exchange may be disguised by the immediate translation of goods into money or money into goods, all trade essentially remains barter. Moreover, if direct barter has its obvious imperfections, the indirect barter which consists in buying or selling for money has also its imperfections. (See MONEY; BANKING AND CREDIT; TRADE, PRIMITIVE.)