Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “barrister” come from?

Barrister derives from English bar, which comes from French barre, ultimately tracing through Ancient Greek βαρύς and Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to carry or bear.

barrister (English): A lawyer with the right to speak and argue as an...

Definitions

  1. A lawyer with the right to speak and argue as an...

Ancestry of “barrister”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBar—
2Germanbär—
3Middle High Germanbër—
4Old High GermanberiA berry
5Proto-West Germanicbaʀiberry
6Proto-Germanicbazjąberry
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

Words derived from “barrister”

  • barristerial
  • barristership
  • barristering
  • unbarristerial
  • barristress
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →