An archaic term for a type of fine fabric or a person from Calabar, now largely obsolete.
From Calabar, the Nigerian port city. In medieval and early modern trade, specific ports became synonymous with the goods they exported, so 'calaber' referred to fine textiles believed to originate from or pass through Calabar.
During the height of European-African trade, Calabar became so famous for exporting fine fabrics that the city's name itself became the product name—a pattern we still see today with fabrics like 'damask' from Damascus!
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