Etymograph

English

barley

Barley comes from Middle English barly, from Old English bærlīċ ‘barley-like’, from bere ‘barley’, and ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *barī.

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*barīreconstructed
  2. Old Englishc. 450–1150bere‘barley’
  3. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150bærlīċ‘barley-like’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500barly‘barley’
  5. Englishtodaybarley

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*barīreconstructed
  2. Old Englishc. 450–1150bere‘barley’
  3. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150bærlīċ‘barley-like’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500barly‘barley’
  5. Englishtodaybarley

Formed from bere + -ly

Proto-Germanic *baraz ‘barley’

Proto-West Germanic *barī ‘barley’

Old English bere ‘barley’

Middle English bere ‘barley’

English bere

Linked words

through Old English bere

barn, bere

Today it means

noun A cereal of the species Hordeum vulgare or its grains, often used as food or to make beer and other malted drinks.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *barī / barley

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