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harbor

[ hahr-ber ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a part of a body of water along the shore deep enough for anchoring a ship and so situated with respect to coastal features, whether natural or artificial, as to provide protection from winds, waves, and currents.
such a body of water having docks or port facilities.
any place of shelter or refuge:
The old inn was a harbor for tired travelers.
Synonyms: , ,

verb (used with object)

to give shelter to; offer refuge to:
They harbored the refugees who streamed across the borders.
Synonyms: ,
to conceal; hide:
to harbor fugitives.
to keep or hold in the mind; maintain; entertain:
to harbor suspicion.
to house or contain.
to shelter (a vessel), as in a harbor.

verb (used without object)

(of a vessel) to take shelter in a harbor.

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Other Word Forms

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�󲹰�b�ǰ�·�� adjective
�󲹰�b�ǰ�·�ǳܲ� adjective
�ܲ�·�󲹰�b�ǰ�� adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of harbor¹

before 1150; Middle English herber ( we ), herberge, Old English herebeorg lodgings, quarters ( here army + ( ge ) beorg refuge); cognate with German Herberge

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Synonym Study

Harbor, haven, port indicate a shelter for ships. A harbor may be natural or artificially constructed or improved: a fine harbor on the eastern coast. A haven is usually a natural harbor that can be utilized by ships as a place of safety; the word is common in literary use: a haven in time of storm; a haven of refuge. A port is a harbor viewed especially in its commercial relations, though it is frequently applied in the meaning of harbor or haven also: a thriving port; any old port in a storm. See cherish.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

As their escape ship pulls into New York harbor, Bertie ponders the permanence of his pain.

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Yet, even as he stares down the barrel of a gun, he harbors the delusional hope that he can puppeteer this relationship back to life.

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As it's common for hosts like humans or other animals to harbor more than one infection at once, there can be plenty of opportunities for gene transfer to occur.

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In a recent interview, she described him as “a lousy agent,” “a terrible husband” and “a mediocre father,” but said she did not harbor bitterness toward him.

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The 24-foot-long minke whale was swimming in the harbor for several days and officials had tried to push it out to sea, only for it to come back, Milstein said.

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Related Words

Harbona harborage

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