English
bier
Bier comes from Proto-West Germanic *bāru ‘stretcher, bier’, from Proto-Germanic *bērō ‘that which bears or carries’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to carry, bear’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to carry, bear’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bērō‘that which bears or carries’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bāru‘stretcher, bier’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bēr
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500beer
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602bier
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to carry, bear’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bērō‘that which bears or carries’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bāru‘stretcher, bier’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bēr
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500beer
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602bier
Earliest quotation: c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: “They bore him bare-faced on the bier.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to carry, bear’
different, bar, difference, bear, offer, broad, bread, reference, relative, transfer, birth, translation, extraordinary, relation, fortune, prefer, relate, burden, barrel, suffer, barn, frustration, translate, fury, baron, breeze, bark, referendum, differ, borne, fertility, referee, broom, phosphate, extravagant, barrow, fertile, embargo, fret, phosphorus, 158 more
through Proto-Germanic *bērō ‘that which bears or carries’
Today it means
noun A litter to transport the corpse of a dead person.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- / bier