burra

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi बड़ा (baṛā, “large, important”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʌɹə/
• Rhymes: -ʌɹə

Adjective

burra (not comparable)

1. (India) Big or important, used as a respectful honorific.

   Synonym: bada

   • 1997, John H. Esterline, Mae H. Esterline, Innocents Abroad: How We Won the Cold War, page 27:

     The most burra of burra sahibs resided in spacious, columned villas within the exclusive enclave of Alipore.

   • 2017, Lila Lee, The Lotus Blossom:

     Later she served the curried meal on an English blue and white flow-blue platter. “Spicy like my Maharanee. A burra meal, fit for a prince of India!”

Derived terms

• burra-khana

Further reading

• “burra”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “burra”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Albanian

Noun

burra m pl

1. indefinite plural of burrë

Asturian

Noun

burra f (plural burres)

1. donkey (a domestic animal)

Finnish

Etymology

Clipping of taxonomic name Burramyidae.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈburːɑ/, [ˈburːɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -urːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): bur‧ra
• Hyphenation^(key): bur‧ra

Noun

burra

1. pygmy possum (small possum of the family Burramyidae)

Declension

Inflection of burra (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		burra	burrat
genitive		burran	burrien
partitive		burraa	burria
illative		burraan	burriin
		singular	plural
nominative		burra	burrat
accusative	nom.	burra	burrat
	gen.	burran
genitive		burran	burrien burrain rare
partitive		burraa	burria
inessive		burrassa	burrissa
elative		burrasta	burrista
illative		burraan	burriin
adessive		burralla	burrilla
ablative		burralta	burrilta
allative		burralle	burrille
essive		burrana	burrina
translative		burraksi	burriksi
abessive		burratta	burritta
instructive		—	burrin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of burra (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative burrani burrani accusative nom. burrani burrani gen. burrani genitive burrani burrieni burraini rare partitive burraani burriani inessive burrassani burrissani elative burrastani burristani illative burraani burriini adessive burrallani burrillani ablative burraltani burriltani allative burralleni burrilleni essive burranani burrinani translative burrakseni burrikseni abessive burrattani burrittani instructive — — comitative — burrineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative burrasi burrasi accusative nom. burrasi burrasi gen. burrasi genitive burrasi burriesi burraisi rare partitive burraasi burriasi inessive burrassasi burrissasi elative burrastasi burristasi illative burraasi burriisi adessive burrallasi burrillasi ablative burraltasi burriltasi allative burrallesi burrillesi essive burranasi burrinasi translative burraksesi burriksesi abessive burrattasi burrittasi instructive — — comitative — burrinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative burramme burramme accusative nom. burramme burramme gen. burramme genitive burramme burriemme burraimme rare partitive burraamme burriamme inessive burrassamme burrissamme elative burrastamme burristamme illative burraamme burriimme adessive burrallamme burrillamme ablative burraltamme burriltamme allative burrallemme burrillemme essive burranamme burrinamme translative burraksemme burriksemme abessive burrattamme burrittamme instructive — — comitative — burrinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative burranne burranne accusative nom. burranne burranne gen. burranne genitive burranne burrienne burrainne rare partitive burraanne burrianne inessive burrassanne burrissanne elative burrastanne burristanne illative burraanne burriinne adessive burrallanne burrillanne ablative burraltanne burriltanne allative burrallenne burrillenne essive burrananne burrinanne translative burraksenne burriksenne abessive burrattanne burrittanne instructive — — comitative — burrinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative burransa burransa accusative nom. burransa burransa gen. burransa genitive burransa burriensa burrainsa rare partitive burraansa burriaan burriansa inessive burrassaan burrassansa burrissaan burrissansa elative burrastaan burrastansa burristaan burristansa illative burraansa burriinsa adessive burrallaan burrallansa burrillaan burrillansa ablative burraltaan burraltansa burriltaan burriltansa allative burralleen burrallensa burrilleen burrillensa essive burranaan burranansa burrinaan burrinansa translative burrakseen burraksensa burrikseen burriksensa abessive burrattaan burrattansa burrittaan burrittansa instructive — — comitative — burrineen burrinensa

Synonyms

• pussiunikeko (dated)

Irish

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle English burre, perhaps from Old English byrst (“bristle”).

Noun

burra m (genitive singular burra, nominative plural burraí)

1. (engineering, metallurgy) burr
2. alternative form of barra (“bar; (sand)bar; tack”)

Declension

Declension of burra (fourth declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative burra burraí vocative a bhurra a bhurraí genitive burra burraí dative burra burraí forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an burra na burraí genitive an bhurra na mburraí dative leis an mburra don bhurra leis na burraí

Mutation

Mutated forms of burra

radical	lenition	eclipsis
burra	bhurra	mburra

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “burra”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Latin

Etymology

From burrus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈbʊr.ra]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈbur.ra]

Noun

burra f (genitive burrae); first declension

1. a small cow with a red mouth or muzzle
2. a shaggy garment
   1. (Late Latin) (plural) trifles, nonsense

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	burra	burrae
genitive	burrae	burrārum
dative	burrae	burrīs
accusative	burram	burrās
ablative	burrā	burrīs
vocative	burra	burrae

Derived terms

• reburrus (possibly)

Descendants

• Italo-Romance:
  • Italian: borra
• Gallo-Romance:
  • Catalan: borra, ⇒ borró
  • Old French: boure, borre, *bure
    • French: bourre, bure
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Asturian: borra, borrayu, borrafa
  • Galician: borra, burel
  • Portuguese: borra, burel
  • Spanish: borra
• ⇒ Vulgar Latin: *burrio
  • Old French: bourjon
    • French: bourgeon
    • → Middle English: burjon
      • English: burgeon
• ⇒ Vulgar Latin: *burrula
  • Asturian: borlla, >? burlla
  • Catalan: borla
  • Galician: bolra
  • Italian: burla
  • Portuguese: borla
  • Spanish: borla, >? burla

Adjective

burra

1. inflection of burrus:
   1. nominative/vocative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

References

• “burra”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• "burra", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “burra”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ʁɐ/ [ˈbu.hɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ʁɐ/ [ˈbu.hɐ]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ʁɐ/ [ˈbu.χɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ʁa/ [ˈbu.ha]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbu.ʁɐ/

• Hyphenation: bur‧ra

Adjective

burra

1. feminine singular of burro

Noun

burra f (plural burras)

1. female equivalent of burro

Further reading

• “burra”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “burra”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Feminine of burro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbura/ [ˈbu.ra]
• Rhymes: -ura
• Syllabification: bu‧rra

Noun

burra f (plural burras)

1. female equivalent of burro: jenny, jenny-ass, she-ass
2. (colloquial) bicycle

See also

• borra

Adjective

burra

1. feminine singular of burro

Further reading

• “burro”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Etymology

Likely onomatopoeic.

Verb

burra (present burrar, preterite burrade, supine burrat, imperative burra)

1. ruffle

Usage notes

Normally with particle upp.

Conjugation

Conjugation of burra (weak)

	active		passive
infinitive	burra		burras
supine	burrat		burrats
imperative	burra		—
imper. plural1	burren		—
	present	past	present	past
indicative	burrar	burrade	burras	burrades
ind. plural1	burra	burrade	burras	burrades
subjunctive2	burre	burrade	burres	burrades
present participle		burrande
past participle		—

¹ Archaic. ² Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Further reading

• burra in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• burra upp in Svensk ordbok (SO)

Anagrams

• burar