Bersten
/ˈbɛr.stən/noun
An obsolete or dialectal English verb meaning to burst, break open, or shatter.
Did you know?Bersten is closely connected with Old English berstan and survives more clearly in German bersten, still meaning “to burst” or “to crack.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰres-
“To break, crack, or burst apart”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brestaną
“To burst, crack, or break”
Old English
Old English
berstan
“To burst, break, or shatter”
Middle English
Middle English
bersten
“To burst or break open”
15th–17th Century
English
bersten
“An archaic or dialectal form meaning “to burst””
Modern English
English
bersten
“An obsolete or regional word, chiefly encountered in historical texts and dialect records”