Where does “bureau” come from?

bureau (French) comes from Middle French burel, from Old French burel, from Old French -el, from Latin -ellus, from Latin -ulus, from Proto-Italic -olos, from Proto-Italic -elos, from Proto-Indo-European -e-lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.

bureau (French): desk; office; ticket office

Definitions

  1. desk; office; ticket office

Ancestry of “bureau”, step by step

bureau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle French burel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchburel
2Old Frenchburelfrieze; a garment made out of frieze
3Old French-elSuffix that usually denotes a masculine noun
4Latin-ellusAlternative form of -ulus; "forming masculine...
5Latin-ulusUsed to form a diminutive of a noun, indicating...
6Proto-Italic-olos
7Proto-Italic-elosForms desubstantival and deadjectival diminutive nouns
8Proto-Indo-European-e-lós
9Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots

via French bourré

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbourréstuffed or filled to the very limit; drunk; past...
2LatinburraA small cow with a red mouth or muzzle; A shaggy...
3LatinBurrusflushed, red
4Ancient Greekπυρρόςflame-coloured, yellowish-red; red-haired,...
5Ancient Greekπῦρa fire; lightning; a fever
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpéh₂wr̥bonfire; spelt

Words derived from “bureau

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós
bureau — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer