Where does “burdensome” come from?
Burdensome combines English burden, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning "to carry," with English -some, from Proto-Indo-European sem- meaning "one," via Middle English -en and Proto-Indo-European tewh₂-.
burdensome (English): Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding
Definitions
- Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding
Ancestry of “burdensome”, step by step
burdensome traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English burden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | burden | A heavy load; A responsibility, onus; A cause of... |
| 2 | Middle English | burden | Alternative form of borden; plural of burde |
| 3 | Old English | byrden | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | burþini | burden |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | burþī | burden |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | burþį̄ | burden |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |