spar

1
[ spahr ]
See synonyms for spar on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Nautical. a stout pole such as those used for masts, etc.; a mast, yard, boom, gaff, or the like.

  2. Aeronautics. a principal lateral member of the framework of a wing of an airplane.

verb (used with object),sparred, spar·ring.
  1. to provide or make with spars.

Origin of spar

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spar(r)e, sperre, sper “a board, rafter, beam”; cognate with German Sparren, Dutch, Frisian spar, Old Norse sparri

Other words from spar

  • sparlike, adjective

Other definitions for spar (2 of 5)

spar2
[ spahr ]

verb (used without object),sparred, spar·ring.
  1. (of boxers) to make the motions of attack and defense with the arms and fists, especially as a part of training.

  2. to box, especially with light blows.

  1. to strike or attack with the feet or spurs, as gamecocks do.

  2. to bandy words; dispute.

noun
  1. a motion of sparring.

  2. a boxing match.

  1. a dispute.

Origin of spar

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spar(r)en “to go quickly, rush, dart, thrust”; further origin unknown

Other definitions for spar (3 of 5)

spar3
[ spahr ]

noun
  1. any of various more or less lustrous crystalline minerals, as fluorspar or feldspar.

Origin of spar

3
First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle Low German spar, sper; akin to Old English spær(stān) “gypsum, chalk”

Other words from spar

  • sparlike, adjective

Other definitions for SPAR (4 of 5)

SPAR

or Spar

[ spahr ]

noun
  1. (during World War II) a woman enlisted in the women's reserve of the U.S. Coast Guard (disbanded in 1946).

Origin of SPAR

4
1942; <Latin S(emper) par(ātus) “Always ready” the Coast Guard motto

Other definitions for SpAr (5 of 5)

SpAr

abbreviation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use spar in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spar (1 of 3)

spar1

/ (spɑː) /


noun
    • any piece of nautical gear resembling a pole and used as a mast, boom, gaff, etc

    • (as modifier): a spar buoy

  1. a principal supporting structural member of an aerofoil that runs from tip to tip or root to tip

Origin of spar

1
C13: from Old Norse sperra beam; related to Old High German sparro, Old French esparre

British Dictionary definitions for spar (2 of 3)

spar2

/ (spɑː) /


verbspars, sparring or sparred (intr)
  1. boxing martial arts to fight using light blows, as in training

  2. to dispute or argue

  1. (of gamecocks) to fight with the feet or spurs

noun
  1. an unaggressive fight

  2. an argument or wrangle

  1. informal a close friend

Origin of spar

2
Old English, perhaps from spur

British Dictionary definitions for spar (3 of 3)

spar3

/ (spɑː) /


noun
  1. any of various minerals, such as feldspar or calcite, that are light-coloured, microcrystalline, transparent to translucent, and easily cleavable: Related adjective: spathic

Origin of spar

3
C16: from Middle Low German spar; related to Old English spærstān; see feldspar

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