Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bourdon” come from?

bourdon (English) comes from French bourdon, from Middle French bourdon, from Old French bordon, from Latin burdo, from Gaulish burdus — mule.

bourdon (English): The burden or bass of a melody; The drone pipe of...

Definitions

  1. The burden or bass of a melody; The drone pipe of...

Ancestry of “bourdon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbourdonbumblebee; drone; blues
2Middle Frenchbourdonhoneybee, bumblebee
3Old Frenchbordonbumblebee; a sort of musical instrument
4Latinburdomule; hinny
5Gaulishburdusmule
Every word from Gaulish burdus →