dunbar

English - English

Definition of dunbar in English English dictionary

A Scottish surname

A town in East Lothian, Scotland

{i} family name; Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), African-American poet and novelist; William Dunbar (1460-c1520) Scottish poet and member of the court of James IV; William Dunbar (1749-1810), American scientist; town in Scotland

Related Terms

Paul L. Dunbar

{i} (1872-1906), African-American poet and novelist

Paul Laurence Dunbar

born June 27, 1872, Dayton, Ohio, U.S. died Feb. 9, 1906, Dayton U.S. author. The son of former slaves, Dunbar became the first African American writer to try to live by his writings and one of the first to attain national prominence. He wrote for a largely white readership, using black dialect and depicting the pre-Civil War South in pastoral, idyllic tones. His verse collections include Oak and Ivy (1893), Majors and Minors (1895), and Lyrics of Lowly Life (1896). His poems reached a wide readership, and he gave readings in the U.S. and England. He also published four short-story collections and four novels, including The Sport of the Gods (1902)

Paul Laurence Dunbar

{i} (1872-1906) African-American poet and novelist, author of "Oak and Ivy" and "Folks from Dixie

William Dunbar

born 1460/65, Scotland died before 1530 Scottish poet. He was attached to the court of James IV. Of the more than 100 poems attributed to him, most are short occasional pieces, ranging from gross satire to hymns of religious exaltation. The longer works include the charming dream allegory "The Goldyn Targe," the nuptial song "The Thrissill and the Rois," and "The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie," a virtuoso piece of personal abuse directed at a rival. Dunbar was the dominant makar (courtly poet) in the golden age of Scottish poetry

William Dunbar

(c1460-c1520) Scottish poet and member of the court of James IV

Hyphenation

Dun·bar

Turkish pronunciation

dʌnbär

Pronunciation

/ˈdənbär/ /ˈdʌnbɑːr/

Etymology

[ 'd&n-"bär ] (biographical name.) Scottish Gaelic dun (“fortress, fort, castle, tower”) + Irish bar (“hill, height, top, extremity, point”) or possibly from the name Bar or Barr, a follower of Kenneth, a captain of the Scots.