Where does “bur” come from?

Bur comes from English burl, from Proto-Germanic brestuz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥stís, ultimately from the root bʰers-, meaning to bristle or stand on end.

bur (English): A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit...

Definitions

  1. A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit...

Ancestry of “bur”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishburre—
2Old Englishbyrstbristle; loss, defect, failure; injury
3Proto-Germanicbrestuzbreak; fracture; impairment; handicap
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰres‑to burst; break; crack; crackle

Words derived from “bur”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰres‑ →
bur — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer