harbor

[ hahr-ber ]

noun

1. a part of a body of water along the shore deep enough for anchoring a ship and so situated with respect to coastal features, whether natural or artificial, as to provide protection from winds, waves, and currents.
2. such a body of water having docks or port facilities.
3. any place of shelter or refuge:

   The old inn was a harbor for tired travelers.

   Synonyms: retreat, sanctuary, asylum

verb (used with object)

1. to give shelter to; offer refuge to:

   They harbored the refugees who streamed across the borders.

   Synonyms: lodge, protect

2. to conceal; hide:

   to harbor fugitives.

3. to keep or hold in the mind; maintain; entertain:

   to harbor suspicion.

4. to house or contain.
5. to shelter (a vessel), as in a harbor.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a vessel) to take shelter in a harbor.

Other Words From

• harbor·er noun
• harbor·less adjective
• harbor·ous adjective
• un·harbored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of harbor¹

before 1150; Middle English herber ( we ), herberge, Old English herebeorg lodgings, quarters ( here army + ( ge ) beorg refuge); cognate with German Herberge

Synonym Study

Harbor, haven, port indicate a shelter for ships. A harbor may be natural or artificially constructed or improved: a fine harbor on the eastern coast. A haven is usually a natural harbor that can be utilized by ships as a place of safety; the word is common in literary use: a haven in time of storm; a haven of refuge. A port is a harbor viewed especially in its commercial relations, though it is frequently applied in the meaning of harbor or haven also: a thriving port; any old port in a storm. See cherish.

Example Sentences

One specialized subset of transcription initiation sites the group found was in root nodules, a structure on legumes' roots that harbors interaction between the plant and Rhizobia bacteria.

From Science Daily

We need to provide a safe and compassionate harbor for them.

From Salon

Supposedly, Biden still thinks he would have beaten Trump, making him one of the few people on the planet to harbor that misconception.

From Los Angeles Times

In some areas of the city, anti-Hezbollah officials have refused to open up state schools and urged landlords not to host Shiites for fear of harboring someone with Hezbollah links and drawing Israeli fire.

From Los Angeles Times

All I care about is that the Democrats and the other pro-democracy Americans win and we get this ship to a safe harbor and relative safety.

From Salon

Related Words

• believe
• cherish
• cling to
• maintain
• retain