Bough Definition

Origin of Bough

• Middle English, from Old English bōg (“shoulder, bough”), from Proto-Germanic *bōguz (“upper arm, shoulder”) (compare German Bug (“shoulder, hock, joint”)), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰāǵʰus (“forearm, elbow”) (compare Ancient Greek πῆχυς (pēchys, “forearm”), Old Armenian բազուկ (bazuk, “arm, forearm, bough”), Persian بازو (bāzu, “upper arm”), Sanskrit बाहु (bahus, “arm”)).

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English from Old English bōh bhāghu- in Indo-European roots

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition