Meaning and Origin
What does the name Harbor mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
User Submitted Origins
User Submitted Meanings
- A user from Tennessee, U.S. says the name Harbor is of English origin and means "Shelter".
- A user from the United Kingdom says the name Harbor means "Place of safe keeping for boats and ships".
- A station for rest and entertainment; a place of security and comfort; a refuge; a shelter."A grove] fair harbour that them seems." [Spenser.]"For harbor at a thousand doors they knocked." [Dryden.]
- Specif.: A lodging place; an inn.(Obs)
- [Astrol] The mansion of a heavenly body.(Obs)
- A portion of a sea, a lake, or other large body of water, either landlocked or artificially protected so as to be a place of safety for vessels in stormy weather; a port or haven.
- [Glass Works] A mixing box for materials.
Etymology: OE. herbor herberwe herberge, Icel. herbergicf. OHG. heriberga), orig., a shelter for soldiers; herr army + bjarga to save, help, defend; akin to AS. here army, G. heer, OHG. heri, Goth. harjis, and AS. beorgan to save, shelter, defend, G. bergen. See Harry 2d Bury, and cf. Harbinger
Etymology: OE. herberen herberwen herbergen; cf. Icel. herbergja. See Harbor (n.)
- A place of refuge and comfort and security
- A sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo
- Maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings) ("harbor a resentment")
- Hold back a thought or feeling about ("She is harboring a grudge against him")
- Keep in one's possession; of animals
- Secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
From Middle English herber, herberge, from Old English herebeorg (“shelter, lodgings, quarters”), from Proto-Germanic *harjabergō (“army shelter, refuge”) (compare West Frisian herberch (“inn”), Dutch herberg (“inn”), German Herberge), from *harjaz (“army”) + *bergō (“protection”), equivalent to Old English here (“army, host”) + beorg (“defense, protection, refuge”). Cognate with Old Norse herbergi (“a harbour; a room”) (whence Icelandic herbergi), Dutch herberg, German Herberge (“inn, hostel, shelter”), Swedish härbärge. Compare also French auberge (“hostel”). More at here, harry, borrow and bury. Doublet of harbinger
- (countable) Any place of shelter.
- The neighborhood is a well-known for petty thieves.
- (countable, nautical) A sheltered expanse of water, adjacent to land, in which ships may anchor or dock, especially for loading and unloading.
- A , even if it is a little , is a good thing, since adventurers come into it as well as go out, and the life in it grows strong, because it takes something from the world, and has something to give in return - Sarah Orne Jewett
- (countable, glassworking) A mixing box for materials.
- (obsolete, countable) A house of the zodiac, or the mansion of a heavenly body.
- (obsolete, uncountable) Shelter, refuge.
From Middle English herberwen, herberȝen, from Middle English herebeorgian (“to take up one's quarters, lodge”), from the noun (see above).
harbor was also found in the following language(s): Cebuano