When the term bureau was adopted in the late 17th century from French, it initially referred to a “writing desk”. Over time, these desks became synonymous with office spaces, leading to the development of the definitions “government office” and bureaucracy. Additionally, these desks often featured drawers, which is why in North America, bureau is also used to describe a “chest of drawers”. Delving further into its etymology, bureau can be traced back to the Old French word burel, which meant “woolen cloth” as it was commonly used to cover writing desks. This word is a diminutive of bure, meaning “dark brown cloth”, and ultimately has roots in either the Latin word burrus (“red”) or burra, which denoted a type of woolen garment.
