The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
Appendix I
Indo-European Roots
ENTRY:
bherg-
DEFINITION:
To shine; bright, white. Oldest form *bher-, becoming *bherg- in centum languages. 1.bright, from Old English beorht, bright, from Germanic *berhtaz, bright. 2. “The white tree,” the birch (also the ash). a.birch, birk, from Old English birc(e), birch, from Germanic *birkjn-;b. probably suffixed zero-grade form *bhrag-s-.fraxinella, from Latin fraxinus, ash tree. (Pokorny bher- 139.)
g-
-, becoming *bher
n-; b. probably suffixed zero-grade form *bhrag-s-. fraxinella, from Latin fraxinus, ash tree. (Pokorny bher
