spar

Pronunciation: /spɑɹ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any of various nonmetallic minerals (calcite or feldspar) that are light in color and transparent or translucent and cleavable
  2. noun a stout rounded pole of wood or metal used to support rigging
  3. noun making the motions of attack and defense with the fists and arms; a part of training for a boxer

Etymology

From Middle English sparre (“spar, rafter, beam”) (noun), sparren (“to close, bar”) (verb), from Middle Dutch sparre or Middle Low German Sparre, all ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sparrô (“stake, beam”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)par- (“beam, log”). Compare Dutch spar (“balk”), German Sparren (“rafter, spar”), Danish sparre (“spar”), Albanian shparr, shpardh (“kind of oak”). Perhaps also compare spear.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
mineral
Narrower (hyponyms)
calcite, feldspar

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