Barbour

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A protective waterproof jacket made from waxed cotton fabric, traditionally worn for outdoor activities and country pursuits
2. A durable outer coat constructed from cotton treated with wax to repel water, typically designed for rural and recreational wear
3. A sturdy water-resistant garment fashioned from waxed cotton material, commonly worn for fieldwork and outdoor ventures

Etymology: Barbour is an English surname that became a common occupational name for someone who shaved and trimmed beards, a job that in medieval England also included bloodletting and minor surgery. The word comes from Old French "barbour," itself formed from "barbe," meaning beard, a direct descendant of Latin "barba." Surnames of this kind were often assigned by trade, so the family name records an ancestor's work rather than any personal trait. The surname spread from that role into many family lines, and it is now found in both Scotland and England. Because it was a fixed name passed down through generations, it outlasted the trade itself, which by the early modern period had split into barbering and surgery.