abri

[ uh-bree; French a-bree ]

/ əˈbri; French aˈbri /

noun, plural a·bris [uh-breez; French a-bree] /əˈbriz; French aˈbri/.

a shelter, especially a dugout.

Archaeology. a rock shelter formed by the overhang of a cliff and often containing prehistoric occupation deposits.

Nearby words

Origin of abri

< French, Old French, noun derivative of abrier (now obsolete or dial.) to shelter, shield, screen < Late Latin aprīcāre to warm in the sun (hence, to shield from wind, cold, etc.), verbal derivative of Latin aprīcus sunny, warmed by the sunshine; Old French b for v perhaps < Old Provençal abriar, or by construal of a- as prefix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for abri

The charcoal calcined by this abri, has been found to be of superior quality.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines|Andrew Ure
It may be suggested that the mysterious bourjo was an abri of pere Jo or Jupiter.
Archaic England|Harold Bayley
An abri is a cave or dug-out in the side of the mountain offering protection against the German shells.
Friends of France|Various
In this abri you are safe from splinters and shrapnel but a direct hit would wipe us out.
"And they thought we wouldn't fight"|Floyd Gibbons

Abri la boca para decir algo en consonancia con tan maravilloso pensamiento; pero slo exhal un suspiro.
Doa Perfecta|Benito Prez Galds

British Dictionary definitions for abri

abri

/ (æˈbriː) /

noun

a shelter or place of refuge, esp in wartime

Word Origin for abri

French, from Latin apricum an open place

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012