Where does “birthen” come from?
birthen (Middle English) comes from Old English byrþen, from Proto-West Germanic burþini, from Proto-West Germanic burþī, from Proto-Germanic burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.
Ancestry of “birthen”, step by step
birthen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English byrþen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | byrþen | burden |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | burþini | burden |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | burþī | burden |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | burþį̄ | burden |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
via Old English byrden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | byrden | — |