Where does “burden” come from?
burden (Middle English) comes from Old English byrden, from Proto-West Germanic burþini, from Proto-West Germanic burþī, from Proto-Germanic burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.
burden (Middle English): Alternative form of borden; plural of burde
Definitions
- Alternative form of borden; plural of burde
Ancestry of “burden”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | byrden | — |
| 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 |
Words derived from “burden”