Where does “boring” come from?
Boring derives from Middle English boryng, formed with the Middle English suffix -ing from Old English -ing and Old English -ung, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.
boring (English): A pit or hole which has been bored; Fragments...
Definitions
- A pit or hole which has been bored; Fragments...
Ancestry of “boring”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | boryng | boring |
| 2 | Middle English | boren | — |
| 3 | Old English | boren | past participle of beran; born |
| 4 | Old English | beran | to carry, bear; to wear; to sustain, support |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | beran | to carry, to bear |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | beraną | to carry, to bear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “boring”