barbary Meaning, Definition & Usage
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noun a region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and Gibraltar; was used as a base for pirates from the 16th to 19th centuries
WordNet
Bar"ba*ry noun
Etymology
Fr. Ar.Definitions
The countries on the north coast of Africa from Egypt to the Atlantic. Hence: A Barbary horse; a barb. Obs. Also, a kind of pigeon.