Where does “bear” come from?
Bear comes from Old English bere, derived from Proto-Indo-European bʰers-, which developed from the root bʰer- meaning to carry or bring forth.
bear (English): A large omnivorous mammal, related to the dog and...
Definitions
- A large omnivorous mammal, related to the dog and...
Ancestry of “bear”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bere | bear; To pierce |
| 2 | Old English | bere | barley; first-person singular present indicative... |
| 3 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 6 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |