arbor

1 of 3

noun (1)

ar·​bor ˈär-bər 

: a shelter of vines or branches or of latticework covered with climbing shrubs or vines

Illustration of arbor

• ¹arbor

arbor

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a spindle or axle of a wheel

2

: a main shaft or beam

3

: a shaft on which a revolving cutting tool is mounted

4

: a spindle on a cutting machine that holds the work to be cut

arbor-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or arbori-

: tree

arboriculture

Examples of arbor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Garden structures, such as an arbor or pergola, can also serve as anchors that make the scale of a garden seem better proportioned. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026

The girl in the arbor emerges as a surrogate for generations of nameless women depicted by men out in the overblown boondocks—see Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, ca. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Climbing hydrangea is a woody vine that looks rather shrub-like when young, but once established grows quickly to over arbors, gazebos, or fences. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026

Worship services were held under a brush arbor until a church was built. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English erber, herber garden, from Anglo-French, from herbe herb, grass

Noun (2)

Latin, tree, shaft

Combining form

Latin arbor

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for arbor

• arbour
• harbor
• harbour

Kids Definition

arbor

noun

ar·​bor

ˈär-bər

: a shelter of vines or branches or a structure of crossed wood or metal strips covered with climbing shrubs or vines

Medical Definition

arbor

noun

ar·​bor ˈär-bər 

: a branching anatomical structure resembling a tree