Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Barbary: A historical region in northern Africa along the Mediterranean coast, stretching approximately from Egypt to the Strait of Gibraltar. It was historically notorious as a base for pirates, known as the Barbary corsairs, from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

Usage

• The word "Barbary" is used as a proper noun to refer to a specific historical and geographical area. It is most commonly encountered in historical contexts discussing piracy, the Ottoman Empire, and early modern relations between European states and North African powers.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Barbary Coast was infamous for its corsairs who raided European shipping.
  • Several European nations paid tribute to the rulers of Barbary to protect their merchant vessels from piracy.
  • The Barbary Wars were fought by the United States against the North African states of the Barbary region.

Advanced Usage

• "Barbary States": A historical term for the semi-independent Ottoman regencies in North Africa (such as Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli) that were centers of Barbary piracy.
  • The treaty was negotiated with the Barbary States to ensure safe passage.
• "Barbary corsair" / "Barbary pirate": Refers specifically to the privateers and pirates who operated from the ports of the Barbary Coast.
  • The captured sailors were held for ransom by Barbary corsairs.

Variants and Related Words

• Barbary Coast: A synonym for the Barbary region, emphasizing its coastal geography.
• Barbary ape (): A species of tailless macaque native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco, and introduced to Gibraltar. Its name derives from the Barbary region.
  • The Rock of Gibraltar is home to a troop of Barbary apes.

Synonyms

• Barbary Coast (geographical synonym)
• Maghreb (a broader modern term for northwestern Africa, encompassing much of the historical Barbary region)

Related Phrases and Historical Terms

• Barbary slave trade: Refers to the capture and enslavement of Europeans and others by Barbary corsairs.
  • The Barbary slave trade affected coastal communities across the Mediterranean and as far north as Iceland.
• Barbary Wars: Refers to two wars (1801–1805 and 1815) fought between the United States and the Barbary States.
  • The First Barbary War was a significant early test for the United States Navy.

Noun

1. 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