abri

noun

ȧbrē

plural abris

-ē(z)

: shelter

especially : a dugout or cavity in a hillside

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Old French, noun derivative of abrier "to shelter, protect," going back to Late Latin aprīcāre "to expose to the sun (and hence protect from wind, cold, etc.), " alteration of the Latin deponent verb aprīcārī "to sun oneself, bask in the sunshine," derivative of aprīcus "exposed to the sun, sunny"

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

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