Where does “birth” come from?
Birth comes from Middle English birthen, from Old English byrþen, from Old French bourde, from Proto-Germanic burdą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.
birth (English): The process of childbearing; the beginning of...
Definitions
- The process of childbearing; the beginning of...
Ancestry of “birth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | birthen | — |
| 2 | Old English | byrþen | burden |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | burþini | burden |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | burþī | burden |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | burþį̄ | burden |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “birth”