bearing | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

125 entries found.

also Kruger rand, 1967, South African gold coin (issued for investment purposes) bearing a portrait of Transvaal President Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (1825-1904); second element is rand, unit of decimal currency introduced in Republic of South Africa 1961, named for The Rand, gold-mining area in Transvaal, short for Witwatersrand (see rand).

caviar (n.)

also caviare, "roe of certain large fish, salted and served as food," 1550s, from French caviar (16c.), from Italian caviaro (modern caviale) or Turkish khaviar, from Persian khaviyar, from khaya "egg" (from Middle Persian khayak "egg," from Old Iranian *qvyaka-, diminutive of *avya-, from PIE *ōwyo‑, *ōyyo‑ "egg," which is perhaps a derivative of the root *awi- "bird") + dar "bearing." The Russian name is ikra.

calm (n.)

c. 1400, "absence of storm or wind," from the adjective or from Old French calme, carme "stillness, quiet, tranquility," or directly from Old Italian (see calm (adj.)). Figurative sense "peaceful manner, mild bearing" is from early 15c.; that of "freedom from agitation or passion" is from 1540s.

Aftir the calm, the trouble sone Mot folowe. ["Romance of the Rose," c. 1400]

support (n.)

late 14c., "act of assistance, backing, help, aid," from support (v.). Meaning "that which supports, one who provides assistance, protection, backing, etc." is early 15c. Sense of "bearing of expense" is mid-15c. Physical sense of "that which supports" is from 1560s. Meaning "services which enable something to fulfil its function and remain in operation" (as in tech support) is from 1953.

gurney (n.)

type of hospital cart, by 1921, of unknown origin. It also is a surname, and perhaps this use traces to the Gurney Ball Bearing Co. of Jamestown, N.Y., which was in active operation at the time but seems to have specialized in bearings for automobiles. Earliest use in hospital literature is in reference to carts for food and laundry.

fruition (n.)

early 15c., "act of enjoying," from Old French fruition and directly from Late Latin fruitionem (nominative fruitio) "enjoyment," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin frui "to use, enjoy" (from PIE root *bhrug- "to enjoy"). Sense of "act or state of bearing fruit," resisted by dictionary editors, is attested by 1885, from association with fruit (n.); figuratively in this sense from 1889.

pyracanth (n.)

thorny evergreen shrub of the apple family, found in the south of Europe, bearing white flowers and scarlet berries, 1660s, from Modern Latin genus name Pyracantha, from Greek pyrakantha (Dioscorides), a plant named but not described, from pyr "fire" (from PIE root *paewr- "fire") + akantha, akanthos "thorn, thorny plant" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce").

puerperal (adj.)

"of or pertaining to childbirth; about to give birth," 1768, with -al (1) + Latin puerperus "bringing forth children; bearing a child" (as a noun, "woman in labor"), from puer "child, boy" (see puerility) + parire "to bring forth, bear, produce, create; bring about, accomplish," from PIE root *pere- (1) "to produce, bring forth"). Earlier puerperial (1620s); puarpure (c. 1500). Related: Puerperally.

pestiferous (adj.)

mid-15c., pestiferus, "bringing plague, plague-bearing, pestilential," also in a weakened or figurative sense, "mischievous, malignant, pernicious, hurtful to morals or society," from of Latin pestiferus "that brings plague or destruction," variant of pestifer "bringing plague, destructive, noxious," from pestis "plague" (see pest) + ferre "carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children." Related: Pestiferously; pestiferousness.

tolerance (n.)

early 15c., "endurance, fortitude" (in the face of pain, hardship, etc.), from Old French tolerance (14c.), from Latin tolerantia "a bearing, supporting, endurance," from tolerans, present participle of tolerare "to bear, endure, tolerate" (see toleration). Of individuals, with the sense "tendency to be free from bigotry or severity in judging other," from 1765. Meaning "allowable amount of variation" dates from 1868; and physiological sense of "ability to take large doses" first recorded 1875.

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