Where does “borough” come from?
Borough descends from Old English burh and burg, from Proto-Germanic burgz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ-, a root meaning to protect or fortify.
borough (English): A fortified town; A town or city; A town having a...
Definitions
- A fortified town; A town or city; A town having a...
Ancestry of “borough”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | borwe | — |
| 2 | Old English | burh | Alternative form of burg; fortress; hill |
| 3 | Old English | burg | city; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | burgz | fortification, stronghold; city |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰr̥ǵʰ- | — |
Words derived from “borough”