Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “birnan” come from?

birnan (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic brinnan, from Proto-Germanic brinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.

birnan (Old English): Alternative form of biernan; to burn

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of biernan; to burn

Ancestry of “birnan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicbrinnanto burn, to be on fire
2Proto-Germanicbrinnanąto burn, to be on fire
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

Words derived from “birnan”

  • burning
  • burned
  • burn
  • burnt
  • burner
  • Burnside
  • unburned
  • unburnt
  • burneth
  • afterburner
  • burningly
  • burnable
  • woodburning
  • heartburning
  • backburner
  • burnie
  • afterburning
  • burndown
  • postburn
  • afterburn
  • windburn
  • burnest
  • unburnable
  • windburned
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →