Where does “misbirth” come from?
misbirth (English) comes from Old English misbyrd, from Old English byrd, from Proto-Germanic *burþiz, from Proto-Germanic beraną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.
misbirth (English): An abortion
Ancestry of “misbirth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | misbyrd | abortion |
| 2 | Old English | byrd | burden |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *burþiz | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | beraną | to carry, to bear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |