Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “burial” come from?

Burial comes from Middle English beriel, from Old English byrġels, a derivative of Old English byrġan (to bury), from Proto-Germanic burgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰergʰ- (to hide or protect).

burial (English): The act of burying; interment

Definitions

  1. The act of burying; interment

Ancestry of “burial”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbiriel—
2Old Englishbyrġels—
3Old Englishbyrġanto bury
4Proto-West Germanic*burgijan—

Words derived from “burial”

  • reburial
  • unburial
  • multiburial
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *burgijan →