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barb²

(bärb)

1. A horse of a breed introduced by the Moors into Spain from northern Africa that has high withers and an arched neck and is known for its speed and endurance.

2. Any of a breed of domestic pigeon that has prominent wattles around the eyes.

[French barbe, from Italian barbero, Berber, from Vulgar Latin *Barbaria, Barbary States, from Latin barbarus, barbarous; see BARBAROUS.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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