"bur" meaning in English

See bur in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /bɝ/ [US], /bɜː/ [General-Australian, Received-Pronunciation], /bʌr/ [Scotland], /bøː/ [New-Zealand], /beː/ (note: Liverpool, fair–fur merger), /bɛː/ (note: Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger) Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-bur.wav , LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-bur.wav Forms: burs [plural], burr [alternative]
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ) Etymology: 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 templates: {{inh|en|enm|burre}} Middle English burre, {{der|en|gmq|-}} North Germanic, {{der|enm|ang|byrst|t=bristle}} Old English byrst (“bristle”) Head templates: {{en-noun}} bur (plural burs)
  1. A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants.
    Sense id: en-bur-en-noun-OM9a5PQI
  2. Any of several plants having such husks.
    Sense id: en-bur-en-noun-5KtgKPJA
  3. A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads.
    Sense id: en-bur-en-noun-u7pN2vyY Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 5 24 53 19
  4. Alternative form of burr (“small piece of material”). Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: burr (extra: small piece of material)
    Sense id: en-bur-en-noun-WmCzGMjF
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "beach bur"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "buffalo bur"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "buffalo-bur"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "buffalo-bur nightshade"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "bur block"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burdock"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burfish"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burgrass"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burlike"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "bur marigold"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "bur oak"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "bur-reed"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burry"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burseed"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "burweed"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "butterbur"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "cocklebur"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "sandbur"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "burre"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English burre",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmq",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "North Germanic",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "byrst",
        "t": "bristle"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English byrst (“bristle”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "burs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "burr",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "bur (plural burs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants."
      ],
      "id": "en-bur-en-noun-OM9a5PQI",
      "links": [
        [
          "husk",
          "husk"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Any of several plants having such husks."
      ],
      "id": "en-bur-en-noun-5KtgKPJA",
      "links": [
        [
          "plant",
          "plant"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 24 53 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads."
      ],
      "id": "en-bur-en-noun-u7pN2vyY"
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "small piece of material",
          "word": "burr"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of burr (“small piece of material”)."
      ],
      "id": "en-bur-en-noun-WmCzGMjF",
      "links": [
        [
          "burr",
          "burr#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɝ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-bur.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɜː/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-bur.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/36/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/36/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bʌr/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bøː/",
      "tags": [
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/beː/",
      "note": "Liverpool, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɛː/",
      "note": "Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "burr"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Burr"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "birr (fern–fir–fur merger)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bare"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bear (both fair–fur merger)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "bur"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from North Germanic languages",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Pages with 26 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "beach bur"
    },
    {
      "word": "buffalo bur"
    },
    {
      "word": "buffalo-bur"
    },
    {
      "word": "buffalo-bur nightshade"
    },
    {
      "word": "bur block"
    },
    {
      "word": "burdock"
    },
    {
      "word": "burfish"
    },
    {
      "word": "burgrass"
    },
    {
      "word": "burlike"
    },
    {
      "word": "bur marigold"
    },
    {
      "word": "bur oak"
    },
    {
      "word": "bur-reed"
    },
    {
      "word": "burry"
    },
    {
      "word": "burseed"
    },
    {
      "word": "burweed"
    },
    {
      "word": "butterbur"
    },
    {
      "word": "cocklebur"
    },
    {
      "word": "sandbur"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "burre"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English burre",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmq",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "North Germanic",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "byrst",
        "t": "bristle"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English byrst (“bristle”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "burs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "burr",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "bur (plural burs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A rough, prickly husk around the seeds or fruit of some plants."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "husk",
          "husk"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Any of several plants having such husks."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "plant",
          "plant"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A rotary cutting implement having a selection of variously shaped heads."
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "small piece of material",
          "word": "burr"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of burr (“small piece of material”)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "burr",
          "burr#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɝ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-bur.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-bur.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɜː/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-bur.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/36/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/36/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-bur.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bʌr/",
      "tags": [
        "Scotland"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bøː/",
      "tags": [
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/beː/",
      "note": "Liverpool, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɛː/",
      "note": "Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "burr"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Burr"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "birr (fern–fir–fur merger)"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bare"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bear (both fair–fur merger)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "bur"
}

Download raw JSONL data for bur meaning in English (3.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-01-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.