Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *brestaną (with e-r metathesis in West Germanic), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰres- ‎(“to burst, break, crack, split, separate”). Cognate with Old Frisian bersta (West Frisian boarste), Old Saxon brestan (Low German basten), Dutch bersten, barsten, Old High German brestan (German bersten), Old Norse bresta (Danish and Norwegian briste, Swedish brista).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈberstɑn/