Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “barrow” come from?

Barrow comes from Old English bearg, from Proto-Germanic berganą, from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ-, ultimately derived from the root bʰer-.

barrow (English): A mountain; A hill; A mound of earth and stones...

Definitions

  1. A mountain; A hill; A mound of earth and stones...

Ancestry of “barrow”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishberweAlternative form of barowe
2Middle EnglishberwenTo save, preserve, guard; To help out, deliver,...
3Old Englishbeorganto save, deliver; to preserve, guard, fortify,...
4Proto-Germanicberganąto take care of; to preserve, to keep; to...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰerǵʰ-to rise; high, lofty; hill, mountain

Words derived from “barrow”

  • barrowful
  • barrowload
  • barrowman
  • barrowlike
  • ibhala
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ- →