bargain

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰergʰ-“to protect, secure”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*burgijaną“to borrow, lend”
3. Frankish · derived from*borganjan“to borrow, lend”
4. Old French · derived frombargaigner“to bargain”
5. Middle English · inherited frombargaynen“to bargain, make a pledge for sale”
6. English todaybargain

From Middle English bargaynen (“to bargain, make a pledge for sale”), from Old French bargaigner (“to bargain”), from Frankish *borganjan (“to borrow, lend”), from Proto-Germanic *burgijaną (“to borrow, lend”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ- (“to protect, secure”). Akin to Old High German boragēn, borgēn (“to look after, care for”) (German borgen), Old English borgian (“to borrow, lend, pledge”). More at borrow. Compare French barguigner and Portuguese barganhar.

Words from the same roots