abri

American  

[uh-bree, a-bree] / əˈbri, aˈbri /

noun

plural

abris

1. a shelter, especially a dugout.

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

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abri British  

/ æˈbriː /

noun

1. a shelter or place of refuge, esp in wartime

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Etymology

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

Example Sentences

Hind, a local resident, said the frequent water outages forced her and her family to rely solely on their reserves of abri - a corn-based drink usually consumed during Ramadan - to quench their thirst.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2023

The abri to which we retired was about twenty-five feet long and eight feet wide, and had a door at either end.

From A Volunteer Poilu by Beston, Henry

There must be trenches somewhere, near,"—she nodded,—"they'll have left some wire-netting in an abri.

From Home Fires in France by Canfield, Dorothy

Out, not within, abroad: soving abri, sleeping abroad, not in a house.�

From Romano Lavo-Lil: word book of the Romany; or, English Gypsy language by Borrow, George Henry

All round red clay, out of which the abri was excavated.

From One Man's Initiation—1917 by Dos Passos, John