Etymology

bayberry

B3A1Y4B3E1R1R1Y4

Today it means: The fruit of the wax myrtle shrub; or the plant itself (Morella cerifera), with aromatic, leathery leaves and waxy berries. Full definition →

English berry ← Middle English berie ← Old English berġe
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The story

  1. Proto-Germanic*bazją
  2. Proto-West Germanic*baʀi
  3. Old Englishberġe?
  4. Old Englishbeġerclip.?
  5. Old English*beġ
  6. Latinbāca
  7. Old Frenchbaie
  8. Middle Englishbaye
  9. Englishbay
  10. Old Englishberġe
  11. Middle Englishberie
  12. Englishberry
  13. English todaybayberry

From bay + berry.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.