Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “highborn” come from?

Highborn comes from English high and English bear, from Old English bere, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.

highborn (English): Of high social standing as a result of having...

Definitions

  1. Of high social standing as a result of having...

Ancestry of “highborn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBorn—
2EnglishbourneA boundary; A goal or destination; A stream or...
3Middle Englishbourne—
4Old Englishburnastream
5Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
6Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →