Where does “burn” come from?
burn (Middle English) comes from Old English burne, from Proto-West Germanic brunnō, from Proto-Germanic brunnô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
Ancestry of “burn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | burne | a stream, brook, river, or other running water |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | brunnō | well, spring |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | brunnô | source; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰréh₁wr̥ | well, spring, source |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |