Arbor

UK: /ˈɑːbə/ US: /ˈɑrbɚ/ ,(är′bər)

Inflections of 'arbor' (n): npl: arbores

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ar•bor¹ /ˈɑrbɚ/   n. [countable]

1. Botany a leafy shelter formed by or covered with tree branches, shrubs, etc.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ar•bor¹  (är′bər), n. 

1. a leafy, shady recess formed by tree branches, shrubs, etc.
2. a latticework bower intertwined with climbing vines and flowers.
3. [Obs.] a grass plot* lawn;
   garden;
   orchard.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] arbour. 

• Anglo-French, Old French (h)erbier herbarium; respelling, respelled with -or under the influence of arbor³
• Middle English (h)erber 1350–1400

ar•bor²  (är′bər), n. 

1. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.]
   • a bar, shaft, or axis that holds, turns, or supports a rotating cutting tool or grinding wheel, often having a tapered shank fitting tightly into the spindle of a machine tool. Cf. mandrel.
   • a beam, shaft, axle, or spindle.
2. Metallurgy a reinforcing member of a core or mold.

• Latin arbor wooden beam or part in an olive press, tree
• French, Old French
• respelling, respelled, by association with arbor³, of earlier arber, arbre 1650–60

ar•bor³  (är′bər), n., pl. ar•bo•res (är′bə rēz′). [Bot.]

1. Botany a tree.

• Neo-Latin, Latin: tree.
• 1660–70

ar′bo•resque′, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ar•bour  (är′bər), n. [Chiefly Brit.]

1. British Terms arbor¹.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arbor / ˈɑːbə/ noun

1. the US spelling of arbour

arbor / ˈɑːbə/ noun

1. a rotating shaft in a machine or power tool on which a milling cutter or grinding wheel is fitted
2. a rotating shaft or mandrel on which a workpiece is fitted for machining

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin: tree, mast

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arbour, arbor / ˈɑːbə/ noun

1. a leafy glade or bower shaded by trees, vines, shrubs, etc, esp when trained about a trellis

Etymology: 14th Century erber, from Old French herbier, from Latin herba grass