Burgher definition
A member of the medieval mercantile class.
A citizen of a medieval city.
Other Word Forms
Noun
Origin of burgher
- German Bürger or Dutch burger both from Middle High German burgaere from Old High German burgārī from burg city bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle Dutch burgher (Modern Dutch: burger); from Middle High German burger (Modern German: Bürger); from Old High German burgari (“inhabitant of a fortress”); derivative of burg (“fortress, citadel”), from Proto-Germanic *burgz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰərgʰ- (“fortified elevation”). Compare also Old English burgwaras (“inhabitants of a burg, burghers, citizens”). More at borough.
From Wiktionary