Etymology

Generally considered obscure, an ON etymon for ME brunt is often postulated on the basis of comparison with the OIcel (v.) bruna ‘to move (like fire), surge, come rushing’ but no fitting source is attested and so this possibility remains entirely speculative. ON bruna is not paralleled in any other Gmc language, but perhaps should be connected to other words relating to fire, e.g. ON bruni 'fire' and brenna 'burn' (in contrast to OE forms with metathesis). Alternatively, OED3 suggests brunt could simply represent native onomatopoeia, comparing dunt/dint and 'various br- words implying sharp or smart application of force'.

PGmc Ancestor

 

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

cp. bruna (v.) ‘to move (like fire), surge, come rushing’
(ONP cp. bruna (vb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

DD1

Attestation

This is the earliest citation in MED or OED, which cite instances from a range of texts from the 15c. onwards.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Pe 174; WA 783, 3934

Bibliography