harbor
n. countablen. a safe area of water next to the land where ships and boats can stay. It has walls or land around it to protect the water from big waves and wind.
n. a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked or anchored. Often protected from the open sea by natural land formations or artificial breakwaters.
The fishing boats returned to the harbor before the storm started.
The city built a new harbor to encourage more international trade and tourism in the region.
As the sun set over the horizon, the harbor lights flickered on, guiding the massive container ships safely into their designated berths.
From Middle English herberwe, herber, from Old English herebeorg (“shelter, lodgings, quarters”), from Proto-West Germanic harjabergu (“army shelter, refuge”), from harjaz (“army”) + *bergō (“protection”), equivalent to Old English here (“army, host”) + beorg (“defense, protection, refuge”). Doublet of albergo and auberge. See also borrow, bury, harbinger, harry and here.
From Middle English herberwen, herbere, from Old English herebeorgian (“to take up one's quarters, lodge”), from the noun (see above).
Commonly used with the prepositions 'in' or 'at' to describe location.