Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bushfire” come from?

Bushfire combines English bush, from Dutch bosch and bos, from Latin bosca and buxus meaning boxwood, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH-.

bushfire (English): An uncontrolled fire in a wooded or grassy area;...

Definitions

  1. An uncontrolled fire in a wooded or grassy area;...

Ancestry of “bushfire”, step by step

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 pr̥tós →