Where does “burden” come from?
Burden comes from Middle English -en, from Old French bordon, from Old French bourde, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
burden (English): A heavy load; A responsibility, onus; A cause of...
Definitions
- A heavy load; A responsibility, onus; A cause of...
Ancestry of “burden”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | burden | Alternative form of borden; plural of burde |
| 2 | Old English | byrden | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | burþini | burden |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | burþī | burden |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | burþį̄ | burden |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “burden”