Burro
/ˈbʊə.roʊ/noun
A donkey, especially a small or hardy one.
Did you know?English got burro from Spanish, where it means “donkey,” and Spanish likely borrowed it from a pre-Latin Mediterranean source, so the word’s deepest origin is older than Rome.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Roman / Pre-Latin
Unknown
*burro
“A word of uncertain origin, probably from a pre-Latin substrate referring to a donkey or similar beast of burden.”
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
burro
“A donkey; also, by extension, a dull or stubborn person.”
16th Century
Spanish
burro
“Common everyday Spanish word for a donkey.”
19th Century
English
burro
“Borrowed from Spanish, especially in the American Southwest, meaning a small donkey.”
Modern English
English
burro
“A donkey, especially a small or hardy one.”