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Where does the word "bark" come from? It comes from Old Norse borkr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "bark" come from? It comes from Old Norse borkr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Bark’s story begins in Old Norse: borkr meant “tree bark.” The tough outer covering of a tree. It reached English by 1300s as bark. Settled as the English word for the outer covering of a tree. Today, bark means the tough protective outer covering of a tree's trunk and branches.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval borkr "tree bark", the tough outer covering of a tree.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s bark "the tough outer covering of a tree trunk", settled as the English word for the outer covering of a tree.