burn

Where does the word "burn" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic brinnaną, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Burn’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: brinnaną meant “to burn.” 'brand', 'brimstone' and 'brandy', burnt wine, are relatives. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as beornan. Old English had two verbs, 'beornan', to be on fire, and 'bærnan', to set on fire, which later merged. It reached English by 1500s as burn. 'burnout' for exhaustion from overwork dates from the 1970s. Today, burn means to be on fire; to damage by fire.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient brinnaną "to burn", 'brand', 'brimstone' and 'brandy', burnt wine, are relatives.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s beornan "to be on fire", Old English had two verbs, 'beornan', to be on fire, and 'bærnan', to set on fire, which later merged.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s burn "to be on fire", 'burnout' for exhaustion from overwork dates from the 1970s.