bârlog (Romanian)
Where does "bârlog" come from?
The Romanian word 'bârlog' traces its roots back to the Proto-Slavic term *bьrlogъ, likely originating from a Proto-Indo-European expression meaning to carry or disturb. Through the influence of Old Church Slavonic, the word entered Romanian to describe an animal's den or lair. While folk etymology often incorrectly links it to the German word for 'bear,' linguists believe it originally referred to the mess or natural disturbance created by an animal in its habitat.
Full etymology tree
- bârlog (Romanian), 'cave'
- borrowed бърлогъ (bŭrlogŭ) (Old Church Slavonic)
- inherited *bьrlogъ (Proto-Slavic), 'den, lair'
- derived *bьrlati (Proto-Slavic), 'to disturb, to burden'
- derived *bʰer- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to bear, carry'
- suffix *-ogъ (Proto-Slavic), 'Denominal, forming attributive nouns.'
- derived *bьrlati (Proto-Slavic), 'to disturb, to burden'
- inherited *bьrlogъ (Proto-Slavic), 'den, lair'
- borrowed бърлогъ (bŭrlogŭ) (Old Church Slavonic)
Ancestors
- *bьrlogъ (Proto-Slavic)
Cognates and doublets
- brlog (Serbo-Croatian)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris