Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Roxbury” come from?

Roxbury derives from English Roxy, Old English byriġ, Old English burg, Proto-West Germanic burg, Proto-Germanic burgz, and Proto-Indo-European bʰrgʰ-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ-.

Ancestry of “Roxbury”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbyriġ—
2Old EnglishburhAlternative form of burg; fortress; hill
3Old Englishburgcity; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,...
4Proto-Germanicburgzfortification, stronghold; city
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰr̥ǵʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥ǵʰ- →