Berber

[ bur-ber ]

/ ˈbɜr bər /

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noun

a member of a group of North African tribes living in Barbary and the Sahara.

a subfamily of Afro-Asiatic, consisting of the languages of the Berbers, including Tuareg and Kabyle.

adjective

of or relating to the Berbers or their language.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of Berber

1835–45; <Arabic barbar<Greek bárbaros;see barbarous

Words nearby Berber

berascal, Berat, berate, berated, berating, Berber, Berbera, berbere, berberidaceous, berberine, berberis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Berber in a sentence

Egyptian authorities do have some reason to doubt Berber and Bedouin loyalty.
On the Contraband Trail With Libya’s Gun Smugglers|Peter Schwartzstein|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They greeted us with a glass of sugared mint tea, called a “Berber whisky”, poured from high above out of a silver teapot.
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco|Joanna Eede|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mouha repeated his Berber mantra at times, “People in a hurry are already dead.”
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco|Joanna Eede|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mouha talked about the generosity and solidarity of Berber communities.
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco|Joanna Eede|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It had taken the camels and their black-turbaned Berber herders four long days to walk from the Sahara.
On Foot in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco|Joanna Eede|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the influence of the Berber blood in the population helps to prolong this barbarism.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
Duly interpreted into Berber this satisfied him, and he promised to comply.
Mogreb-el-Acksa|R. B. Cunninghame Graham
Breber, Baraba, Berber, all three phases of the word are found.
Mogreb-el-Acksa|R. B. Cunninghame Graham
He is reckoned one of the greatest chieftains of the Berber people in the south.
Mogreb-el-Acksa|R. B. Cunninghame Graham
And his instructions were to seize Metammeh and march on Berber!
Sir John French|Cecil Chisholm

British Dictionary definitions for Berber

Berber

/ (ˈbɜːbə) /

noun

a member of a Caucasoid Muslim people of N Africa

the language of this people, forming a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages. There are extensive differences between dialects

adjective

of or relating to this people or their language

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