Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “meer” come from?

Meer comes from Maori mere, from Old English mīere, from Latin merus meaning pure or unmixed, from Proto-Indo-European mer- meaning to rub or wear away.

meer (English): A boundary; Obsolete form of mere

Definitions

  1. A boundary; Obsolete form of mere

Ancestry of “meer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmereA body of standing water, such as a lake or a...
2Middle Englishmeremare; mother; sea, lake
3Old Englishmerelake; pool; sea
4Old Englishbyriġ—
5Old EnglishburhAlternative form of burg; fortress; hill
6Old Englishburgcity; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,...
7Proto-Germanicburgzfortification, stronghold; city
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰr̥ǵʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥ǵʰ- →