Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bore” come from?

Bore comes from Middle English bore, from Old English boren, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-, a root meaning to carry or bear.

bore (English): To inspire boredom in somebody; To make a hole...

Definitions

  1. To inspire boredom in somebody; To make a hole...

Ancestry of “bore”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishboreA :bore, hole, puncture or indentation; A gap,...
2Middle Englishboren—
3Old Englishborenpast participle of beran; born
4Old Englishberanto carry, bear; to wear; to sustain, support
5Proto-West Germanicberanto carry, to bear
6Proto-Germanicberanąto carry, to bear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown

Words derived from “bore”

  • bored
  • boredom
  • borehole
  • borer
  • wellbore
  • smoothbore
  • overbore
  • counterbore
  • boresight
  • boresome
  • microbore
  • borewell
  • borescope
  • stemborer
  • boredly
  • rebore
  • unbored
  • borest
  • smoothbored
  • boredness
  • drawbore
  • chokebore
  • woodborer
  • windbore
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →