Where does “brushfire” come from?

brushfire (English) comes from English Brush, from Middle English brusshe, from Old French broisse, from Vulgar Latin brustia, from Icelandic bursti, from Proto-Germanic burstiz, from Proto-Germanic bʰurstís, from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥s-tí-s — top, tip, point.

brushfire (English): A large fire in a scrubland or prairie, as...

Definitions

  1. A large fire in a scrubland or prairie, as...

Ancestry of “brushfire”, step by step

brushfire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Brush

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBrushAn implement consisting of multiple more or less flexible bristles or other filaments attached to a handle, used for any of various purposes including cleaning, painting, and arranging hair
2Middle Englishbrusshe
3Old Frenchbroisse
4Vulgar Latinbrustia
5Icelandicburstibrush
6Proto-Germanicburstizbristle
7Proto-Germanicbʰurstís
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰr̥s-tí-s
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰers-top, tip, point

via English fire

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfireA chemical reaction involving the bonding of...
2Middle EnglishfierAlternative form of figer
3Old Englishfȳrfire
4Old EnglishfeorAlternative form of feorr; far
5Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰers-