Where does “boredom” come from?
Boredom is an English formation combining bore with the suffix -dom, derived from Middle English boren and Old English boren, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning "to carry" or "to bear."
boredom (English): The state of being bored; An instance or period...
Definitions
- The state of being bored; An instance or period...
Ancestry of “boredom”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bore | To inspire boredom in somebody; To make a hole... |
| 2 | Middle English | bore | A :bore, hole, puncture or indentation; A gap,... |
| 3 | Middle English | boren | — |
| 4 | Old English | boren | past participle of beran; born |
| 5 | Old English | beran | to carry, bear; to wear; to sustain, support |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | beran | to carry, to bear |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | beraną | to carry, to bear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “boredom”