Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “bourdonner” come from?

bourdonner (French) comes from French bourdon, from Middle French bourdon, from Old French bordon, from Latin burdo, from Gaulish burdus — mule.

bourdonner (French): to buzz, drone

Definitions

  1. to buzz, drone

Ancestry of “bourdonner”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbourdonbumblebee; drone; blues
2Middle Frenchbourdonhoneybee, bumblebee
3Old Frenchbordonbumblebee; a sort of musical instrument
4Latinburdomule; hinny
5Gaulishburdusmule

Words derived from “bourdonner”

  • bourdonnement
Every word from Gaulish burdus →