Where does “Bournemouth” come from?
Bournemouth is an English place name combining the Old English burna "stream" and mūþ "mouth of a river," ultimately from Proto-Germanic munþaz and Proto-Indo-European men-.
Ancestry of “Bournemouth”, step by step
Bournemouth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mouth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mouth | The opening of a creature through which food is... |
| 2 | Middle English | mouþ | Alternative form of mouth |
| 3 | Old English | mūþ | mouth, opening, door, gate |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *munþ | mouth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | munþaz | mouth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via English Bourne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bourne | name of a local stream |