abri

noun

ȧbrē
plural abris
-ē(z)
: shelter
especially : a dugout or cavity in a hillside

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Old French, noun derivative of abrier "to shelter, protect," going back to Late Latin aprīcāre "to expose to the sun (and hence protect from wind, cold, etc.), " alteration of the Latin deponent verb aprīcārī "to sun oneself, bask in the sunshine," derivative of aprīcus "exposed to the sun, sunny"

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abri was in 1761

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Dictionary Entries Near abri

Cite this Entry

“Abri.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abri. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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