Where does “borrow” come from?
Borrow comes from Old English borgian, derived from Old English burh, which traces to Proto-Indo-European bʰrgʰ- meaning to protect or shelter.
borrow (English): To receive from somebody temporarily, expecting...
Definitions
- To receive from somebody temporarily, expecting...
Ancestry of “borrow”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | borwe | A pledge or security asset deposited as guarantee |
| 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 “borrow”