Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “birtherism” come from?

birtherism (English) comes from English birther, from English birth, from Middle English birthen, from Old English byrþen, from Proto-West Germanic burþini, from Proto-West Germanic burþī, from Proto-Germanic burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

birtherism (English): A movement in the United States of America that...

Definitions

  1. A movement in the United States of America that...

Ancestry of “birtherism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbirtherOne who gives birth; A believer in the conspiracy...
2EnglishbirthThe process of childbearing; the beginning of...
3Middle Englishbirthen—
4Old Englishbyrþenburden
5Proto-West Germanicburþiniburden
6Proto-West Germanicburþīburden
7Proto-Germanicburþį̄burden
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →