Harbour
/ˈhɑːbər/noun
A sheltered place where ships can anchor; also a place of refuge or protection.
Did you know?The word’s earliest Germanic sense was tied to lodging or shelter, and its later sea meaning turned a place of refuge into a strategic power-word for protection and control.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*harjaburō
“shelter, lodging, protected place”
Old English
OE
herebeorg
“shelter, lodging, refuge”
Old English
OE
hereberga
“shelter, quarters, place of lodging”
Middle English
ME
herberwe
“lodging, inn, refuge”
Middle English
ME
harbour
“sheltered place for ships; refuge”
Modern English
English
harbour
“a sheltered place for ships; to give shelter or keep safe”