Variant or archaic spelling of harbor; a place of shelter and refuge, especially a protected anchorage for ships.
Middle English and Old English variant of 'harbor,' influenced by place name formations using '-ough' or '-boro.' The spelling reflects historical phonetic and orthographic variations before English spelling was standardized.
The spelling 'harborough' survives in place names like Scarborough and Peterborough, where '-borough' meant a fortified town—these names literally mean 'Scarborough' = 'the fortified harbor settlement,' showing how harbor towns were protected and economically important enough to fortify.
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