bourdon

bourdon · noun¹

1. Frankish · derived from*buʀdō“grub, beetle, cricket, bumblebee”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromburdō, burdōnem“drone”
3. Old French · derived frombordon
4. Middle English · inherited fromburdoun“accompaniment”
5. English todaybourdon

Inherited from Middle English burdoun (“accompaniment”), from Old French bordon, from Medieval Latin burdō, burdōnem (“drone”), probably from Frankish *buʀdō (“grub, beetle, cricket, bumblebee”), related to Old English budda (“beetle”), Saterland Frisian Budde (“worm or grub used as fishbait”), Icelandic budda (“purse”). The modern pronunciation and form (for *burdon) is influenced by modern French bourdon.

bourdon · noun²

1. Medieval Latin · derived fromburdō, burdōnem“pilgrim's staff”
2. Old French · derived frombordon
3. Middle English · inherited fromburdoun“pilgrim's staff”
4. English todaybourdon

Inherited from Middle English burdoun (“pilgrim's staff”), from Old French bordon, from Medieval Latin burdō, burdōnem (“pilgrim's staff”). The modern pronunciation and form is also influenced by modern French bourdon.

Words from the same roots