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"bush, shrub" in seven languages

Meaningbush, shrub

Spanish

arbusto

/aɾˈbusto/

masc.learned

French

buisson

/bɥisɔ̃/

masc.other source · Old French boisson, from bois 'wood' (Germanic *busk-)

Italian

cespuglio

/tʃesˈpuʎʎo/

masc.other source · Italian cespo 'tuft', from Latin CAESPITEM 'turf'

Portuguese

arbusto

/ahˈbustu/

masc.learned

Romanian

tufiș

/tuˈfiʃ/

neut.other source · Romanian tufă 'bush' (of uncertain origin)

Catalan

arbust

/əɾˈbust/

masc.learned

English

bush

/bʊʃ/

native English · Middle English bush, Germanic *busk-

English → Italianbush, shrubcespuglioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: arbour, arboretum.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

ARBUSTUM‘plantation of trees, shrubbery (from ARBOR 'tree')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish uses the learned arbusto; Italian names the bush after a tuft of turf. French buisson and English bush are usually traced to the same Germanic root, also behind French bois 'wood'.

English relatives: arbour, arboretum

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In a sentence

  • esEl gato se esconde debajo de un arbusto.
  • frLe chat se cache sous un buisson.
  • itIl gatto si nasconde sotto un cespuglio.
  • ptO gato está escondido debaixo de um arbusto.
  • roPisica se ascunde sub un tufiș.
  • caEl gat s'amaga sota un arbust.
  • enThe cat is hiding under a bush.

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