bur

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bur"

Languages (26)

Translingual • English

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Danish • Icelandic • Istro-Romanian • Javanese • Latvian • Maay • Maltese • Middle English • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old Frisian • Old High German • Old Norse • Old Saxon • Old Swedish • Polish • Portuguese • Romagnol • Sumerian • Swedish • Veps • Welsh • Zaghawa

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Burmese.

Symbol

bur

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2/B language code for Burmese.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Burmese terms

English

burdock burs (1)

Alternative forms

• burr

Etymology

From Middle English burre, of unknown origin but probably from North Germanic (Scandinavian) source or from Old English byrst (“bristle”). See also burr. Compare English bristle, Danish burre (“bur, burdock”), Norwegian borre, Swedish borre, and Old Norse burst (“bristle”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /bɝ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA^(key): /bɜː/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /bʌr/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /bøː/
• (Liverpool, fair–fur merger) IPA^(key): /beː/
• (Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger) IPA^(key): /bɛː/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)
• Homophones: burr, Burr; birr (fern–fir–fur merger); bare, bear (both fair–fur merger)

Noun

bur (plural burs)

1. A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants.
2. Any of several plants having such husks.
3. A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads.
4. Alternative form of burr (“small piece of material”).

Derived terms

• beach bur
• buffalo bur
• buffalo-bur
• buffalo-bur nightshade
• bur block
• burdock
• burfish
• burgrass
• burlike
• bur marigold
• bur oak
• bur-reed
• burry
• burseed
• burweed
• butterbur
• cocklebur
• sandbur

Translations

prickly husk — see burr

References

• “bur”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
• “bur”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2025), “bur”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• “bur”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “bur”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “burr”, in New Collegiate Dictionary‎^[1], 2001
• “borre”, in Lingea‎^[2], 2025
• “borre”, in Svenska Akademiens Ordbok‎^[3], 2025

Anagrams

• RUB, bru, rub

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse búr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /buːr/, [b̥uːˀɐ̯], [b̥uɐ̯ˀ]
• Rhymes: -ur

Noun

bur n (singular definite buret, plural indefinite bure)

1. cage
2. (obsolete) (storage) room

Inflection

Declension of bur

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	bur	buret	bure	burene
genitive	burs	burets	bures	burenes

References

• “bur” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “bur” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse burr, from Proto-Germanic *buriz. Cognate with Old English byre (“descendant, son”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʏːr/
• Rhymes: -ʏːr

Noun

bur m (genitive singular burs, nominative plural burir)

1. (poetic) son

Usage notes

• The word sees the most use in poetry and the phrase eiga börn og buru, making the regular accusative plural form buri rarer in practice than buru.

Declension

Declension of bur (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	bur	burinn	burir	burirnir
accusative	bur	burinn	buru1, buri2	burina
dative	bur	burnum	burum	burunum
genitive	burs	bursins	bura	buranna

¹Set phrases, poetic.
²Technically rare.

Derived terms

• -bur

References

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989), Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
• Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “bur”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
• Mörður Árnason (2019), Íslensk orðabók, 5th edition, Reykjavík: Forlagið
• “bur” in the Dictionary of Modern Icelandic (in Icelandic) and ISLEX (in the Nordic languages)
• “bur”, in Ritmálssafn Orðabókar Háskólans [The Written Collection of the Lexicological Institute] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, (Can we date this quote?)

Istro-Romanian

Etymology

From Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, later duonus, from Proto-Italic *dw-enos. Compare Romanian bun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bur/

Adjective

bur m (feminine burę, neuter buro, plural bur, feminine plural bure)

1. good

Javanese

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch boor (“drill”).

Noun

bur

1. drill

Latvian

Verb

bur

1. inflection of burt:
   1. second/third-person singular present indicative
   2. third-person plural present indicative
   3. second-person singular imperative
2. (with the particle lai) third-person singular imperative of burt
3. (with the particle lai) third-person plural imperative of burt

Maay

Noun

bur

1. flour

Maltese

Root
b-w-r
1 term

Etymology

From Arabic بُور (būr).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /buːr/
• Rhymes: -uːr

Noun

bur m (plural bwar, diminutive bura)

1. meadow, pastureland

Middle English

Noun

bur

1. (Early Middle English) alternative form of bour

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse búr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bʉʷːɾ]

Noun

bur n (definite singular buret, indefinite plural bur, definite plural bura or burene)

1. cage
2. goal (sports)

Derived terms

• burhøne, burhøns

References

“bur” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Old Norse búr.

Noun

bur n (definite singular buret, indefinite plural bur, definite plural bura)

1. cage
2. goal (sports)

Etymology 2

Verb

bur

1. present of bu

References

“bur” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *būr, from Proto-Germanic *būrą. Cognate with Old Saxon būr, Old High German būr (German Bauer (“birdcage”)), Old Norse búr (Swedish bur).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /buːr/

Noun

būr n

1. private chamber, room
   • The Anglo-Saxon version of the story of Apollonius of Tyre

     Đā ġewearþ hit þæt þǣs mǣdenes fōstormōdor intō þām būre ēode, ⁊ ġesēah hī ðār sittan on miċelre ġedrefednesse, ⁊ hire cwæð tō, "Hwiġ eart þū hlæfdiġe swā ġedrefedes mōdes?"

     It happened that the girl's foster mother came into the room and saw her sitting full of confusion, and said to her "Lady, why are you so troubled of mind?."

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	būr	būras
accusative	būr	būras
genitive	būres	būra
dative	būre	būrum

Descendants

• Middle English: bour, boure, bowre, bowur, bur (Early Middle English)
  • English: bower
  • Scots: bour

Old Frisian

Noun

būr m

1. a peasant, farmer

Inflection

Declension of būr (masculine a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	būr	būrar, būra
accusative	būr	būrar, būra
genitive	būres	būra
dative	būre	būrum, būrem

Old High German

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *būr, from Proto-Germanic *būrą (“dwelling”), whence also Old English būr, Old Norse búr.

Alternative forms

• pūr

Noun

būr n

1. dwelling, quarters, bower

   brūd in būre

   a bride in the bower

Declension

Declension of būr (masculine a-stem)

case	singular	plural
nominative	būr	būrā, būra
accusative	būr	būrā, būra
genitive	būres	būro
dative	būre	būrum
instrumental	būru	—

Descendants

• Middle High German: būr
  • German: Bauer (“birdcage”)

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *būr, from Proto-Germanic *būraz (“inhabitant”).

Noun

*būr m

1. peasant, farmer

Declension

Declension of būr (masculine a-stem)

case	singular	plural
nominative	būr	būrā, būra
accusative	būr	būrā, būra
genitive	būres	būro
dative	būre	būrum
instrumental	būru	—

Related terms

• gibūro
• gibūr

Descendants

• ⇒ Middle High German: būre (“neighbor, farmer, peasant”)
  • Alemannic German: Puur, Buur
  • Bavarian: Baua
    • Mòcheno: pauer
  • Central Franconian: Buur, Boor, Bouer, Bauer
    • Luxembourgish: Bauer
  • German: Bauer (“farmer”)
    • → English: bauer; bower
    • → Polish: bauer
    • → Serbo-Croatian: pȁor, па̏ор
  • Rhine Franconian: Bauer
    • Pennsylvania German: Bauer
  • Yiddish: פּויער (poyer)
  • → Upper Sorbian: bur

Old Norse

Noun

bur

1. accusative/dative singular of burr

Old Saxon

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *būr, from Proto-Germanic *būraz, whence also Old English būr, Old Norse búr.

Noun

būr m

1. neighbour
2. inhabitant

Descendants

• Low German: Buer, Boer

Etymology 2

Same as the masculine noun.

Noun

būr n

1. dwelling

Old Swedish

Alternative forms

• ᛒᚢᚱ

Etymology

From Old Norse búr, from Proto-Germanic *būrą.

Noun

bur n

1. dwelling, residence
2. storehouse
3. room, chamber
4. cage

Declension

Declension of būrer (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	būrer	būrrin	būrar	būranir, būraner
accusative	būr	būrin	būra	būrana
dative	būri, būre	būrinum, būrenom	būrum, būrom	būrumin, būromen
genitive	būrs	būrsins	būra	būranna

Descendants

• Swedish: bur c

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbur/
• Rhymes: -ur
• Syllabification: bur

Noun

bur f

1. genitive plural of bura

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbuʁ/ [ˈbuh]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbuʁ/ [ˈbuh]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /ˈbuɾ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈbuʁ/ [ˈbuχ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbuɻ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbuɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbuɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ɾi/

• Hyphenation: bur

Noun

bur m or f by sense (plural bures)

1. archaic form of bóer

Romagnol

FWOTD – 13 March 2013

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *burius, compare Italian buio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /buːr/

Noun

bur m

1. darkness (lack of light)
   • December 2007, Nevio Spadoni, Guido Bianchi, Urazion in la Ludla, il Papiro, page 9:

     Te, che t’vid / la luš int e’ mi bur, […]

     You, who sees / the light in my darkness, […]

Sumerian

Romanization

bur

1. romanization of 𒁓 (bur)

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish būr, from Old Norse búr, from Proto-Germanic *būrą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʉːr/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʉːr

Noun

bur c

1. a cage
2. (slang) a prison, a jail, an arrest

   att sitta i buren

   to be imprisoned

Declension

Declension of bur

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	bur	burs
	definite	buren	burens
plural	indefinite	burar	burars
	definite	burarna	burarnas

Related terms

• bura in

References

• bur in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• bur in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• bur in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Veps

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian бу́рый (búryj).

Adjective

bur

1. brown

Inflection

Inflection of bur (inflection type 6/kuva)
nominative sing.	bur
genitive sing.	buran
partitive sing.	burad
partitive plur.	burid
	singular	plural
nominative	bur	burad
accusative	buran	burad
genitive	buran	buriden
partitive	burad	burid
essive-instructive	buran	burin
translative	buraks	burikš
inessive	buras	buriš
elative	buraspäi	burišpäi
illative	buraha	burihe
adessive	bural	buril
ablative	buralpäi	burilpäi
allative	burale	burile
abessive	burata	burita
comitative	buranke	buridenke
prolative	buradme	buridme
approximative I	buranno	buridenno
approximative II	burannoks	buridennoks
egressive	burannopäi	buridennopäi
terminative I	burahasai	burihesai
terminative II	buralesai	burilesai
terminative III	burassai	—
additive I	burahapäi	burihepäi
additive II	buralepäi	burilepäi

Noun

bur

1. brown

Inflection

Inflection of bur (inflection type 6/kuva)
nominative sing.	bur
genitive sing.	buran
partitive sing.	burad
partitive plur.	burid
	singular	plural
nominative	bur	burad
accusative	buran	burad
genitive	buran	buriden
partitive	burad	burid
essive-instructive	buran	burin
translative	buraks	burikš
inessive	buras	buriš
elative	buraspäi	burišpäi
illative	buraha	burihe
adessive	bural	buril
ablative	buralpäi	burilpäi
allative	burale	burile
abessive	burata	burita
comitative	buranke	buridenke
prolative	buradme	buridme
approximative I	buranno	buridenno
approximative II	burannoks	buridennoks
egressive	burannopäi	buridennopäi
terminative I	burahasai	burihesai
terminative II	buralesai	burilesai
terminative III	burassai	—
additive I	burahapäi	burihepäi
additive II	buralepäi	burilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “бурый”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[4], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /bɨːr/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /biːr/

Adjective

bur

1. soft mutation of pur

Mutation

Mutated forms of pur

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
pur	bur	mhur	phur

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Zaghawa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʊɾ/

Adjective

bur

1. little

Noun

bur

1. one's own child

   Bur egi ― My child

2. the child of a woman's co-wife
3. (by extension) the child of one's brothers or cousins

References

• Beria-English English-Beria Dictionary [provisional] ADESK, Iriba, Kobe Department, Chad