bureau

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*péh₂wr̥
2. Proto-Hellenic*pāwər
3. Ancient Greekπῦρ (pûr)
4. Ancient Greekπῠρρός (pŭrrhós)
5. Latinburrus
6. Latinburra
7. Old French*bure
8. Old Frenchburel
9. Frenchbureau
10. English todaybureau

Unadapted borrowing from French bureau, earlier "coarse cloth (as desk cover), baize", from Old French burel (“woolen cloth”), diminutive of *bure (compare Middle French bure (“coarse woolen cloth”), French bourre (“hair, fluff”)), from Late Latin burra (“wool, fluff, shaggy cloth, coarse fabric”); akin to Ancient Greek βερβέριον (berbérion, “shabby garment”). Doublet of burel and borrel, taken from Old French.

Words from the same roots