Bursting
/ˈbɜːr.stɪŋ/noun
Present participle of burst, meaning breaking open or exploding suddenly.
Did you know?The core Germanic root behind burst is ancient and forceful, and it shows up in related words across old branches of English where sudden breaking, cracking, and violent opening were all part of the same semantic blast.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*burstaną
“to burst, break open, split apart”
Old English
OE
berstan
“to burst, break, shatter”
Middle English
ME
bursten
“to burst, crack, split open”
Modern English
English
burst
“to break open suddenly with force”
Modern English
English
bursting
“breaking open or exploding suddenly”