Meanings
comber1
plural combers
- A person who combs wool, etc.
- A machine that combs wool, etc.
- A long, curving wave breaking on the shore.
‘A comber like that last one would come right over the side.’
1961, Tom Mead, Killers of Eden, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 1591 more example
The mighty combers crashed down with long echoing reverberations like the roar of great cannons, followed by the ominous swish of broken water rushing across the reef in mad clouds of foam and spray.
1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 118Synonyms: breaker
comber2
plural combers
- Serranus cabrilla, the gaper, a fish found in European waters.
Comber3
plural Combers
- countableuncountableA surname.
- countableuncountableA town in County Down, Northern Ireland (Irish grid ref J4669).
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA long, curving wave breaking on the shore.
Origin
- Middle Englishcomber
- Englishcomber
From Middle English comber, camber, equivalent to comb + -er.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek χάννη
- χάννη (khánnē)Serranus cabrilla
Arabic قُرْفُص, قُرْفُصَة
- قُرْفُص (qurfuṣ)Serranus cabrilla
- قُرْفُصَة (qurfuṣa)Serranus cabrilla
Bulgarian дарак, разбиваща се вълна
- дарак (darak)machine that combs wool
- разбиваща се вълна (razbivašta se vălna)long, curving wave
- ха́нос (hános)Serranus cabrilla
Catalan serrà
- serràSerranus cabrilla
Finnish kampaaja, laine
- kampaajaperson who combs wool
- lainelong, curving wave
- pastellimeriahvenSerranus cabrilla
French perche de mer
- perche de merSerranus cabrilla
German Sägebarsch
- SägebarschSerranus cabrilla
Greek λαναράς, ξάντης
- λαναράς (lanarás)person who combs wool
- ξάντης (xántis)person who combs wool
- σερράνος (serrános)Serranus cabrilla
- χάνος (chános)Serranus cabrilla
Irish ciaradóir
- ciaradóirSerranus cabrilla
Italian perchia
- perchiaSerranus cabrilla
Polish postrzygacz
- postrzygaczperson who combs wool
Russian ка́менный о́кунь-ха́нос
- ка́менный о́кунь-ха́нос (kámennyj ókunʹ-xános)Serranus cabrilla
Spanish cabrilla
- cabrillaSerranus cabrilla
Turkish hani, asıl hani
- haniSerranus cabrilla
- asıl haniSerranus cabrilla
Rhymes & wordplay
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
comber. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/comber
“comber.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/comber. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “comber,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/comber.
Source: comber on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.