bureau

English

/ˈbjʊɹ.əʊ/, /ˈbjʊɹ.ə/, /ˈbjʊɹ.oʊ/

noun
Definitions
  • An administrative unit of government; office.
  • An organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.
  • An office room where clerical or professional duties are performed.
  • (chiefly) A desk, usually with a cover and compartments that are located above the level of the writing surface rather than underneath, and often used for storing papers.
  • (US) A chest of drawers for clothes.

Etymology

Borrowed from French bureau (desk, office, earlier coarse cloth, baize) derived from Old French burel (woolen cloth, reddish, a kind of coarse woollen cloth) derived from Latin burra.

Origin

Latin

burra

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms