The rich shade of deep red known as burgundy has an interesting etymology. It was named in the late nineteenth century after the type of pinot noir grape grown in the Burgundy region of France. The name “Burgundy” itself comes from Medieval Latin Burgundia and French Bourgogne, which refer to the geographic area. The root of these words can be traced back to Proto-Germanic Burgundi, meaning “highlander,” originating from Proto-Indo-European bhergh, which means “high.” This same root is also found in words like borough, bourgeoisie, burglar, burgher, and the suffix in iceberg. In the past, burgundy was also used to describe a stylish headdress for women in the eighteenth century, although this meaning is rarely used today. According to Google Ngrams, the use of capital “B” Burgundy has been declining since the 1700s, while the usage of lowercase burgundy has been increasing in recent years.
