Barbary Coast
- proper noun
:
Costa de Barbary
- The notorious pirates of the Barbary Coast attacked ships sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Examples
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Many stories of adventure come from the Barbary Coast era.
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The infamous Barbary Coast was notorious for its pirates.
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European powers often negotiated with the rulers of the Barbary Coast to protect their merchant fleets.
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Stories of captivity along the Barbary Coast circulated widely throughout 18th-century Europe.
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During the 18th century, the Barbary Coast was notorious for its rampant piracy and commerce.
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Historical documents detail how the Barbary Coast was home to many notorious pirates who terrorized Mediterranean trade routes.
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The Barbary Coast, stretching across parts of modern-day Algeria and Tunisia, played a significant role in maritime history.
Synonyms
4
9.9
A region in North Africa on the Mediterranean coast where pirates attacked ships from the 1500s to the 1800s
A region of North Africa along the Mediterranean coast used by pirates from the 1600s to 1800s
A coastal region on the Mediterranean Sea in North Africa historically known for pirates
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a toponym and historical/cultural label whose specific sense (a late‑19th‑century vice and gambling district in San Francisco) cannot be derived from the literal meanings of 'Barbary' and 'coast' by a B1 learner. Although 'Barbary' may suggest piracy or lawlessness, the particular local, historical meaning is language- and culture-specific and therefore requires prior knowledge, making it non-compositional.
Etymology
Barbary Coast was the name Europeans gave to the North African shore where 'pirates' and raiders often attacked ships, so people thought of it as a dangerous, pirate-filled coast. That's why the name refers to that historical region famous for piracy.