harbour
Also spelled harbor (US spelling)
Harbour (noun) means British spelling of harbor: a sheltered area of water where ships can dock. Example: “We walked along the harbour and watched the ferry come in.”
noun
1
British spelling of harbor: a sheltered area of water where ships can dock.
"We walked along the harbour and watched the ferry come in."
"The little harbour protects the boats from rough seas."
"Fishing boats lined the harbour at dawn."
verb
1
British spelling of harbor: to shelter or secretly hide someone, or to hold onto a feeling.
"The old barn was said to harbour a family of owls."
"It is unfair to harbour resentment against someone for years."
"She still harboured doubts about the plan."
How to use harbour
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSame word as "harbor," just the British spelling.
UK vs US
Used in British and Commonwealth English; American English uses "harbor."
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- harbours
- Third person singular
- harbours
- Past tense
- harboured
Fill the gap
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We walked along the _____ and watched the ferry come in.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for harbour
See all rhymes for harbour →Frequently asked questions
What does “harbour” mean?
The word “harbour” means british spelling of harbor: a sheltered area of water where ships can dock. In plain terms, same word as "harbor," just the British spelling.
How do you use “harbour” in a sentence?
Here is “harbour” used in a sentence: “Fishing boats lined the harbour at dawn.”
What part of speech is “harbour”?
Depending on how it is used, “harbour” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “harbour” a common word?
“Harbour” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “harbour” have?
“Harbour” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: british spelling of harbor: a sheltered area of water where ships can dock.
Is it harbour or harbor?
Both spellings are correct; they belong to different varieties of English. Harbour is the British, Irish, Australian, and Canadian spelling, while harbor is the American spelling. The meaning, whether the sheltered water for ships or the verb meaning to shelter someone or hold onto a feeling, is identical.
What is the difference between a harbour and a port?
A harbour is a sheltered area of water where ships can dock safely, whether natural or man-made. A port is a commercial facility with docks, cranes, and warehouses where ships load and unload cargo or passengers. Most ports are built on harbours, but a quiet harbour with no shipping trade is not a port.
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