WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
a•bri
(ə brē′; Fr. a brē′),USA pronunciation n., pl. a•bris
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(ə brēz′; Fr. a brē′).USA pronunciation
- a shelter, esp. a dugout.
- Archaeologya rock shelter formed by the overhang of a cliff and often containing prehistoric occupation deposits.
- Old Provencal abriar, or by construal of a- as prefix
- Late Latin aprīcāre to warm in the sun (hence, to shield from wind, cold, etc.), verb, verbal derivative of Latin aprīcus sunny, warmed by the sunshine; Old French b for v perh.
- French, Old French, noun, nominal derivative of abrier (now obsolete or dialect, dialectal) to shelter, shield, screen