Added 9 October 2026
cumber
/ˈkʌmbə/ verb
Latin root: cumulus Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about cumber at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
noun
- Trouble, distress.
-
Something that encumbers; a hindrance, a burden.
(The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
noun
Origin
From Middle English combren, aphetic form of acombren or encombren, borrowed from Old French encombrer, ultimately either from Latin cumulus or Proto-Celtic *kombereti (“to bring together”), from *kom- + *bereti (“to bear”). Cognate with German kümmern (“to take care of”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)