"B" Word Origins

Berkowitz

Origin

Germanized spelling of Polish Berkowicz, a Jewish Ashkenazi surname.

Berkshire

Middle English

From Middle English Barrokschire, Berchesire, Barrokshyre, Berrucsire, from Old English Bearrocsċīr. The first element is possibly from Proto-Brythonic *barrọg, perhaps meaning “hilly” (compare *barros (“hill, peak, top”)) + Old English sċīr (“shire, county”).

berlin

German · 1600

Named after the German capital city Berlin, where the carriage design was invented in the 1600s.

berline

Origin

Borrowed from French berline.

berliner

Origin

The first sense is either from German Berliner (“native or inhabitant of Berlin”) or formed in English from Berlin + -er. The second sense is from German Berliner (“doughnut”).

Berlusconi

Italian

Borrowed from Italian Berlusconi.

berm

Dutch

From Dutch berm, meaning a grassy verge or strip of ground beside a road or canal.

Bermuda

Spanish

Named after the Atlantic island territory of Bermuda, itself named for the Spanish navigator Juan de Bermúdez.

Bern

Origin

From Alemannic German Bärn, of uncertain further origin. A popular folk etymology says it was named by its founder, Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen, after the first animal he saw in the area, a Bär(in) (“bear”) (compare Berlin, subject to a similar folk etymology). The name is now thought to be connected to a Celtic word, Proto-Celtic *berna (“cleft”) (from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to carve out, cut”)) and *branos (“raven”) (compare the name ΒΡΕΝΟΔΩΡ (BRENODŌR), on the Bern zinc tablet, which has also been connected with the Gaulish name Brennus). More at Bern.

Bernadette

Germanic

A feminine form of Bernard, from Germanic elements meaning "bear" and "brave".

Bernard

Old French

From Old French Bernard, ultimately from Frankish *Bernhard, combining words for "bear" and "hardy" — popularized as a name by several medieval saints.

Bernd

German

Borrowed from the German given name Bernd, adopted as forum slang after being used as a placeholder name for anonymous users.

berner

Origin

From Bernie + -er. Named after American politician Bernie Sanders.

Bernhard

Germanic

From Germanic elements meaning "bear" and "hardy, brave." Related to Bernard and Barnard.

Bernhardt

Origin

German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Jewish surname, variant of Bernhard. Compare Barnard, Barnhardt, Barnhart.

Bernice

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek Berenike, related to the word for "bringing victory."

Bernie

Origin

As a given name, a diminutive of Bernard (male) or Bernice/Bernadette (female); the dog-breed sense comes from clipping "Bernese."

Bernstein

German

From German Bernstein, literally "amber."

berry

Old English

From Old English berġe, a very old Germanic word for small stoneless fruit — related to similar words in German and Scandinavian languages.

berserk

Old Norse

From Old Norse berserkr, describing a legendary Norse warrior who fought in a wild frenzy, possibly wearing a bear pelt ("bear-shirt") into battle.

berserker

Old Norse

From Old Norse berserkr, likely combining "bear" and "shirt/coat" — a reference to the bear pelts these warriors reportedly wore into combat.

Bert

Germanic

Shortened from names containing the Germanic element "bert/berht," meaning "bright."

berth

Origin

From an earlier English word meaning nautical clearance or bearing-away room, related to "bear" — the idea of the space a ship needs to safely carry itself clear of others.

bertha

French

Borrowed from French berthe, itself taken from the given name Berthe (Bertha in English).

berthe

French

From French berthe, the same word that gives English "bertha."

berthing

Origin

From berth + -ing.

Bertie

Origin

Diminutive + -ie.

Bertram

Germanic

From Germanic roots meaning "bright" combined with "raven."

beryl

Ancient Greek

Traced back through Old French and Latin to Ancient Greek bḗrullos, ultimately from an old Dravidian place name in southern India where the gem was mined.

beryllium

Origin

From beryl + -ium, so called because the element is a key component of the mineral beryl.

bes

Latin

Borrowed from Latin bes.

beseech

Middle English

From Middle English besechen, built on an old word meaning "to seek" — literally asking someone by seeking a favour from them.

beseem

Origin

PIE word *h₁epi From Middle English bisemen (“to beseem”) [and other forms], from be-, bi- (prefix forming transitive verbs with a completive, figurative, or intensifying sense) + semen (“to seem; to be or see as appropriate; to be visible or apparent; to regard”). Semen is derived from Old Norse sœma (“to conform to; to befit, beseem”), from Proto-Germanic *sōmijaną (“to fit; to unite”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; whole”). The English word is analysable as be- (prefix with an intensifying sense) + seem.

beset

Old English

From Old English besettan, "to surround or occupy" — built from "be-" (around) plus "set."

beshield

Origin

From Middle English bischilden, from Old English besċyldian, besċieldian (“to shield, defend”); equivalent to be- + shield.

beshine

Origin

From Middle English beshinen, beschinen, from Old English besċīnan (“to shine upon, light up, illuminate”), from Proto-Germanic *biskīnaną (“to shine upon”), equivalent to be- + shine. Cognate with Dutch beschijnen (“to shine upon”), German bescheinen (“to shine upon”).

beside

Old English

From Old English be sīdan, literally "by the side."

besides

Middle English

An extension of "beside" with an adverbial "-s" ending, from Middle English bisides.

besiege

Origin

From Middle English besegen, bisegen, equivalent to be- (“around, about”) + siege.

besiegement

Origin

From besiege + -ment.

besmall

Origin

From be- + small.

besmear

Origin

From Middle English *bismerwen, from Old English besmirwan, besmierwan (“to besmear”), equivalent to be- + smear. Cognate with Dutch besmeren (“to besmear”), German beschmieren (“to besmear”).

besmirch

Origin

From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- + smirch.

besom

Origin

From Middle English besme, beseme, from Old English besma, besema (“besom, broom, rod”), from Proto-West Germanic *besmō (“broom”).

besoothe

Origin

From be- + soothe.

besotted

Origin

Formed from "besot" ("to make foolish") plus the "-ed" ending.

bespeak

Origin

From Middle English bespeken, bispeken, from Old English *bespecan, besprecan (“to speak about, speak against, accuse of, claim at law, complain”), from Proto-West Germanic *bisprekan (“to discuss, blame”), from Proto-Germanic *bisprekaną (“to speak about, discuss, blame”), equivalent to be- + speak. Cognate with Scots bespeke (“to beseech, speak or negotiate with”), Saterland Frisian bispreke (“to discuss”), West Frisian besprekke (“to discuss”), Dutch bespreken (“to discuss, review, debate”), German besprechen (“to discuss, review, talk about”).

bespell

Origin

From be- (“on, upon, about”) + spell.