Bur

//bɝ// name, noun

name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants.
  2. 2
    small bit used in dentistry or surgery wordnet
  3. 3
    Any of several plants having such husks.
  4. 4
    seed vessel having hooks or prickles wordnet
  5. 5
    A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads.
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  1. 6
    Alternative form of burr (“small piece of material”). alt-of, alternative
Verb
  1. 1
    remove the burrs from wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.

Synonyms

All synonyms
burrburr

Example

More examples

"The germination of both seeds of a bur of Xanthium in one season is exceptional."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English burre, of unknown origin but probably from North Germanic (Scandinavian) source or from Old English byrst (“bristle”). See also burr. Compare English bristle, Danish burre (“bur, burdock”), Norwegian borre, Swedish borre, and Old Norse burst (“bristle”).

Etymology 2

Three possible origins: * Borrowed from French Bur, probably a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name. * Borrowed from Alemannic German Bur (“peasant, farmer”) and Low German Bur (“peasant, farmer”). * Borrowed from Slovak Búr, a surname of unexplained origin.

Related phrases

beach burbuffalo burbuffalo-burbuffalo-bur nightshadebur blockbur marigoldbur oakbur-reed

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.