Where does “bär” come from?

bär (German) comes from Middle High German bër, from Old High German beri, from Proto-West Germanic baʀi, from Proto-Germanic bazją, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri-.

Ancestry of “bär”, step by step

bär traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle High German bër

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanbërbear
2Old High GermanberiA berry
3Proto-West Germanicbaʀiberry
4Proto-Germanicbazjąberry
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

via Ancient Greek βάρος

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekβάροςweight, burden, load; grief, sorrow; plenty
2Ancient Greekβαρύςheavy, weighty; heavy, burdensome, oppressive;...
3Proto-Hellenicgʷarusheavy
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʷréh₂usheavy
5Proto-Indo-European-usForms adjectives from Caland system roots

via Old French barre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbarrebar
2Vulgar Latinbarrabarrier
3Frankishbarabar, beam, barrier, fence
4Proto-Germanicbarōbeam, bar, barrier
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerH-to pierce; to strike; brown

Words derived from “bär”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bazją →