Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “underbearer” come from?

underbearer (English) comes from English underbear, from Middle English underberen, from Old English underberan, from Old English beran, from Proto-West Germanic beran, from Proto-Germanic beraną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

underbearer (English): One who helps to bear or carry the corpse or...

Definitions

  1. One who helps to bear or carry the corpse or...

Ancestry of “underbearer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderbearTo support, endure; To line, guard or face a...
2Middle Englishunderberento support
3Old Englishunderberanto support; to endure
4Old Englishberanto carry, bear; to wear; to sustain, support
5Proto-West Germanicberanto carry, to bear
6Proto-Germanicberanąto carry, to bear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →