English
burrito
Burrito comes from Spanish burrito ‘diminutive of burro (“donkey”)’, from Latin burricus ‘small horse’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ ‘fire’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*péh₂wr̥‘fire’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pāwərreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπῦρpûr‘fire’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπυρρόςpurrhós‘flame-colored’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEburrus‘red-brown’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEburricus‘small horse’
- Spanishc. 1500–presentborrico
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburrico‘donkey’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburro‘donkey’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburrito‘diminutive of burro (“donkey”)’diminutive of burro
- Englishearliest quotation 2020burrito
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*péh₂wr̥‘fire’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pāwərreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπῦρpûr‘fire’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπυρρόςpurrhós‘flame-colored’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEburrus‘red-brown’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEburricus‘small horse’
- Spanishc. 1500–presentborrico
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburrico‘donkey’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburro‘donkey’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentburrito‘diminutive of burro (“donkey”)’diminutive of burro
- Englishearliest quotation 2020burrito
Earliest quotation: 2020, Erin McRae, Racheline Maltese: “You're stealing the blankets,” Zack complained, tugging at the…”
The story
A possible origin is due to its resemblance to a rolled up pack as typically carried by donkeys, making it an example of synecdoche.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ ‘fire’
through Proto-Hellenic *pāwər
through Ancient Greek πῦρ ‘fire’
bertram, pyre, pyro, pyrite, 13 more
through Latin burrus ‘red-brown’
through Spanish burro ‘donkey’
Today it means
noun A Mexican dish consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped around a filling of meat and/or beans, cheese etc.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ / burrito