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bur·net

(bər-nĕt, bûrnĭt)

Any of several perennial plants of the genus Sanguisorba of the rose family, some species of which have edible leaves used in salads or sauces.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin burneta, from Old French brunete, dark brown, diminutive of brun, brown, of Germanic origin; see bher-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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