# bury

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈbɛɹ.i/ · frequency rank #8,396

## Definitions
1. To ritualistically inter in a grave or tomb.
2. To ritualistically inter in a grave or tomb.
3. To place in the ground.
4. To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance.
5. To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance.
6. To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance.
7. To suppress and hide away in one's mind.
8. To put an end to; to abandon.
9. To score (a goal).
10. To ruin the image or character of another wrestler; usually by embarrassing or defeating them in dominating fashion.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *burgijaną
Proto-West Germanic *burgijan
Old English byrġan
Middle English berien
English bury
Middle English burien, berien, from Old English byrġan, from Proto-West Germanic *burgijan, from Proto-Germanic *burgijaną (“to keep safe”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ- (“to defend, protect”).
Cognate with Icelandic byrgja (“to cover, shut; to hold in”); West Frisian bergje (“to keep”), German bergen (“to save/rescue something”), Danish bjerge (“to save/rescue something or somebody”); also Eastern Lithuanian bir̃ginti (“to save, spare”), Russian бере́чь (beréčʹ, “to spare”), Ossetian ӕмбӕрзын (æmbærzyn, “to cover”).
The spelling with ⟨u⟩ represents the pronunciation of the West Midland and Southern dialects, while the Modern English pronunciation with /ɛ/ is from the Kentish dialects.

## Easily confused with
- **by** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-by)
- **but** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-but)
- **buy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-buy)
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-bus)
- **busy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-busy)
- **bush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-bush)
- **butt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-butt)
- **buzz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-buzz)
- **bust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-bust)
- **buys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-buys)
- **buss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-buss)
- **bute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-bute)
- **busty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-busty)
- **bushy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-bushy)
- **busby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bury-vs-busby)
- **br** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/br-vs-bury)
- **boy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/boy-vs-bury)
- **bar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bar-vs-bury)
- **bay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bury)
- **bro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bro-vs-bury)

## Common misspellings (6)
`bbury`, `bruy`, `burry`, `buryy`, `buyr`, `ubry`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bury