noun
Berber
BUR-buh
noun
1
A member of the indigenous peoples of North Africa, or their group of related languages.
"Berber communities have lived across the Maghreb for thousands of years."
"She grew up speaking a Berber language at home."
2
A thick, looped style of carpet originally associated with Berber weaving.
"They chose a durable berber carpet for the stairs."
How to Use Berber
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRefers to the indigenous peoples/languages of North Africa, or a hard-wearing looped carpet style named after their traditional weaving.
Common pairings
Berber carpet
Berber languages
Berber people
Word Forms
Berbers plural, Berber plural
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_____ communities have lived across the Maghreb for thousands of years.
Etymology
From Arabic barbariyy ("Berber"), which traces back to the Ancient Greek word for "foreigner" — the same root that gives us "barbarian."