Where does “bower” come from?

Bower comes from Middle Dutch boech via the English agent noun suffix -er, itself derived from Latin -arius and ultimately Latin -us.

bower (English): A bedroom or private apartments, especially for a...

Definitions

  1. A bedroom or private apartments, especially for a...

Ancestry of “bower”, step by step

bower traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via German bauer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanbauerfarmer male or of unspecified gender
2Germanbauento build; to construct; to roll a joint; to rely
3Middle High Germanbūwento build
4Old High Germanbūanto build
5Proto-West Germanic*būan—
6Proto-Germanicbūanąto dwell, reside
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuH-to become, grow, appear

via English bough

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboughA firm branch of a tree; The gallows
2Middle Englishbough—
3Old Englishbōgarm; shoulder; bough
4Proto-Germanicbōguzupper arm, shoulder
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰāǵʰusarm

via Middle English bour

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbourA chamber or a cottage
2Old Englishbūra farmer, bower

Words derived from “bower”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- →