arbor

1 of 3

noun (1)

ar·​bor ˈär-bər How to pronounce arbor (audio)
: a shelter of vines or branches or of latticework covered with climbing shrubs or vines

Illustration of arbor

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Plants grow as a twining vine that benefits from an arbor or trellis for support. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024 All wedding florals, from the arbor to the bar to the tent, were arranged by Petal to the Metal Florals' Leslie Bish. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024 Outside are a terrace with fireplace, dining arbor, and fountain, two-bedroom guest cottage, and one-bedroom pool house. The Week Staff, theweek, 29 Oct. 2024 The vertical hypotenuse also goes straight through the arbor of the power reserve gauge. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arbor 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of arbor was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near arbor

Cite this Entry

“Arbor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arbor. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

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 How to pronounce arbor (audio)
: a branching anatomical structure resembling a tree
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