Where does “airburst” come from?

airburst (English) comes from English burst, from Middle English bresten, from Old English berstan, from Proto-Germanic *brestan, from Proto-Germanic brestaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰres‑ — to burst; break; crack; crackle.

airburst (English): The explosion of a bomb or similar weapon in the...

Definitions

  1. The explosion of a bomb or similar weapon in the...

Ancestry of “airburst”, step by step

airburst traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English burst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishburstTo break from internal pressure; To cause to...
2Middle EnglishbrestenTo burst break from internal pressure
3Old Englishberstanto break, shatter, burst
4Proto-Germanic*brestan
5Proto-Germanicbrestanąto burst, break, sunder, split, crack
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰres‑to burst; break; crack; crackle

via English aïr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishaïr
2Middle Englishaireair
3Old Frenchairair mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere
4Latināērair
5Ancient Greekἀήρmist; air; wind
6Ancient Greekauhḗr
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰres‑Every word from Proto-Germanic brestanąEvery word from Proto-Germanic *brestan
airburst — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer