different between harbinger vs harbour

English

Etymology

Originally, a person that is sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from Frankish *heriberga (“lodging, inn”, literally “army shelter”), from Proto-Germanic *harjaz (“army”) + *bergô (“protection”). Compare German Herberge, Italian albergo, Dutch herberg, English harbor. More at here, borrow.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??b?nd??/
• (US) enPR: här?b?nj?r, IPA^(key): /?h??b?nd???/

Noun

harbinger (plural harbingers)

1. (usually in the plural) A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.

   Synonyms: forewarning, herald, omen, premonition, sign, signal, prophet

   • 1828, Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations, Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney

     I knew by these harbingers who were coming.
2. (obsolete) One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.
   • 1644, Thomas Fuller, Truth Maintained (a sermon)

     outward decency […] is the Harbinger to provide the lodging for inward holinesse

Translations

Verb

harbinger (third-person singular simple present harbingers, present participle harbingering, simple past and past participle harbingered)

1. (transitive) To announce or precede; to be a harbinger of.

   Synonym: herald

Translations

See also

• bellwether

Further reading

• Harbinger in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
• harbinger in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h??b?/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?h??b??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)b?(?)

Noun

harbour (plural harbours)

1. Commonwealth of Nations standard spelling of harbor.

Derived terms

• Rosslare Harbour

Translations

Verb

harbour (third-person singular simple present harbours, present participle harbouring, simple past and past participle harboured)

1. Commonwealth of Nations standard spelling of harbor.

   The docks, which once harboured tall ships, now harbour only petty thieves.

   • The bare suspicion made it treason to harbour the person suspected.

   • 1707, Nicholas Rowe, The Royal Convert

     Nor let your gentle Breast harbor one Thought Of Outrage from the Kin.

References

• “harbour”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.