- a variation of harbor.
harbour
Americannoun
noun
-
a sheltered port
-
a place of refuge or safety
verb
-
(tr) to give shelter to
to harbour a criminal
-
(tr) to maintain secretly
to harbour a grudge
-
to shelter (a vessel) in a harbour or (of a vessel) to seek shelter
Spelling
See -or 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of harbour
Old English herebeorg, from here troop, army + beorg shelter; related to Old High German heriberga hostelry, Old Norse herbergi
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"For too long, Sydney has looked towards the harbour and the CBD. What this does is turn it around to where people live, to where jobs occur, to where investment occurs in western Sydney."
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
But, with the backing of Australian businessman Grant Wechsel, former Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer and a squad full of internationals, they do still harbour hopes of playing in Super League in 2027.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Requests to accept the landing of 120 migrants intercepted off the Isle of Wight were refused by both Portsmouth harbour and Southampton Port.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Neither grey nor harbour seals are protected from intentional or reckless disturbance under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
It was quiet in the harbour though and he sailed up onto the little patch of shingle below the rocks.
From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.