harbor

harbor · noun¹

1. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*harjabergu“army shelter, refuge”
2. Old English · inherited fromherebeorg“shelter, lodgings, quarters”
3. Middle English · inherited fromherberwe
4. English todayharbor

From Middle English herberwe, herber, from Old English herebeorg (“shelter, lodgings, quarters”), from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu (“army shelter, refuge”), from *harjaz (“army”) + *bergō (“protection”), equivalent to Old English here (“army, host”) + beorg (“defense, protection, refuge”). The final syllable was subsequently altered by analogy with the Anglo‐Norman and Old French suffix -or (as seen in loanwords like honour and labour). Doublet of albergo and auberge. See also borrow, bury, harbinger, harry and here.

harbor · verb²

1. Old English · inherited fromherebeorgian“to take up one's quarters, lodge”
2. Middle English · inherited fromherberwen
3. English todayharbor

From Middle English herberwen, herbere (later harboure), from Old English herebeorgian (“to take up one's quarters, lodge”), from the noun (see above).

Harbor · proper noun³

English surname, variant of Harbour.

Words from the same roots