English
baron
Baron comes from Latin barōnem, from Proto-West Germanic *barō ‘man’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to bear’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to bear’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*barō‘man’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbarōnem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400baron
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500baroun‘a baron or equivalent rank specifically’
- Englishearliest quotation 1851baron
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to bear’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*barō‘man’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbarōnem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400baron
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500baroun‘a baron or equivalent rank specifically’
- Englishearliest quotation 1851baron
Earliest quotation: 1851, Herman Melville, chapter 34: “Such portentous appetites had Queequeg and Tashtego, that to…”
The story
Used in early Germanic law in the sense of "man, human being". A Celtic origin has also been suggested; see the quote under sense 3 of Latin barō. However, the OED takes the hypothetical Proto-Celtic *bar- (‘hero’) to be a figment.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to bear’
different, offer, difference, birth, reference, transfer, prefer, bread, relative, suffer, bear, fortune, relate, burden, broad, translation, extraordinary, bar, relation, differ, referendum, bore, translate, fury, breeze, referee, frustration, fertility, borne, barrel, fertile, berth, phosphate, extravagant, barn, fret, phosphorus, euphoria, defer, bark, 159 more
Today it means
noun The male ruler of a barony.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- / baron