haven

[hey-vuhn]

noun

1. a harbor or port.

2. any place of shelter and safety; refuge; asylum.

verb (used with object)

1. to shelter, as in a haven.

haven

/ ˈheɪvən /

noun

1. a port, harbour, or other sheltered place for shipping

2. a place of safety or sanctuary; shelter

verb

1. (tr) to secure or shelter in or as if in a haven

Other Word Forms

• havenless adjective
• havenward adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of haven¹

First recorded before 1050; Middle English; Old English hæfen; cognate with Dutch haven, German Hafen, Old Norse hǫfn; akin to Old English hæf, Old Norse haf sea

Word History and Origins

Origin of haven¹

Old English hæfen, from Old Norse höfn; related to Middle Dutch havene, Old Irish cuan to bend

Synonym Study

See harbor.

Example Sentences

The self-assertion is accompanied by a new anguish, as many British Jews are asking if there’s a future for them in a country that has long been a “haven,” as Rabbi Dunner puts it.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"We never thought that the place he saw as a safe haven would be where his life would end."

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This consensus trade has worked well this year, as investors buy gold over other havens and load up on stocks.

Read more on Barron's

At times it’s a speculative asset, or a safe haven, or a diversification play, but it’s certainly worth watching when the gold price surges to $4,000 an ounce for the first time Tuesday.

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Gold is an alternative to stocks and bonds that many investors use as a haven: an asset that can hold its value during times of market volatility or economic uncertainty.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• asylum 
• retreat 
• sanctuary 
• shelter 

When To Use

What is a haven?

A haven is any safe place, as in The woods can be a haven from a busy world.A safe place is the most common meaning of haven and can be used in many ways. For example, something can be a haven for a person (like your bedroom might be), for a particular behavior (as in a haven for corruption), or for a belief or religion. A haven can be a place safe from something negative or dangerous or a place safe for something negative or dangerous.A haven is also a harbor or port. In other words, it’s a place for a ship or other seagoing vehicle to dock safely or take refuge in during a storm.Haven appears in the phrase safe haven. A safe haven is a safe place for someone or something who is threatened.Haven also appears in the phrase tax haven. This is a location that has very low taxation rates for outside investors. The idea is that a tax haven provides a shelter from taxation.Example: My bedroom is a haven of peace in the midst of the chaos of Christmas decoration prep.