Archaeology. a rock shelter formed by the overhang of a cliff and often containing prehistoric occupation deposits.
Origin: < F, OF, n. deriv. of abrier (now obs. or dial.) to shelter, shield, screen < LL aprīcāre to warm in the sun (hence, to shield from wind, cold, etc.), v. deriv. of L aprīcus sunny, warmed by the sunshine; OF b for v perh. < OPr abriar, or by construal of a- as prefix
[uh-bree; Fr. a-bree] 
