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barbary

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Barbary¹

  • /ˈbɑː(ɹ)bəɹi/

Where it comes from

From Berber + -y, influenced by barbary (“barbarian, non-Christian”). See also Arabic بَرْبَرِيّ (barbariyy, “Berber”).

proper noun Barbarie

  1. historical The Mediterranean coastal areas of North Africa that were used as a base by pirates in the 16th to 19th centuries. [King of] Moro[cco]. Ye Moores and valiant men of Barbary, How can ye ſuffer theſe indignities?

barbary²

Where it comes from

From Middle English barbarye (“barbarian, non-Christian”), from Old French [Term?] and Medieval Latin [Term?].

adjective

  1. obsolete barbarian; non-Christian

Translations

Every language

name Mediterranean North Africa

EspañolBerbería
PortuguêsBerbéria, Berberia
FrançaisBerbérie
DeutschBerberei, Barbareskenstaaten
ΕλληνικάΜπαρμπαριά Barmpariá

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Cite this
MLA

"barbary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/barbary. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

barbary. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/barbary

Chicago

"barbary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/barbary.

BibTeX
@misc{barbary_2026,
  title = {barbary},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/barbary},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}