Where does “afterbirth” come from?

afterbirth (English) comes from English birth, from Middle English birthen, from Old English byrþen, from Proto-West Germanic burþini, from Proto-West Germanic burþī, from Proto-Germanic burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

afterbirth (English): The placenta and other material expelled via the...

Definitions

  1. The placenta and other material expelled via the...

Ancestry of “afterbirth”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbirthThe process of childbearing; the beginning of...
2Middle Englishbirthen—
3Old Englishbyrþenburden
4Proto-West Germanicburþiniburden
5Proto-West Germanicburþīburden
6Proto-Germanicburþį̄burden
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →Every word from Proto-Germanic burþį̄ →Every word from Proto-West Germanic burþī →