Where does “shire” come from?
shire (Middle English) comes from Old English sċīr, from Old English burna, 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.
shire (Middle English): shire, district, county; Alternative form of...
Definitions
- shire, district, county; Alternative form of...
Ancestry of “shire”, step by step
shire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English sċīr
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | sċīr | bright; shire; county |
| 2 | Old English | burna | stream |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | brunnō | well, spring |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | brunnô | source; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰréh₁wr̥ | well, spring, source |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via Old English scir
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | scir | office; district; administrative region, shire |