bust etymology

Etymology

The word "bust" has two distinct etymologies depending on its meaning.

Meaning 1: A sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest

• From the Italian word "busto," meaning "torso."
• The Italian term is ultimately derived from the Latin word "bustum," meaning "funeral pyre."

Meaning 2: A failure or disappointment

• From the 16th-century slang term "bust," meaning "to break."
• This earlier sense of "bust" refers to the act of bursting something open, such as a window or door.
• By extension, it came to mean any sudden interruption or disruption, including a failure or disappointment.

Meaning and Origin

1. Sculpture

• A bust is a three-dimensional representation of a person's head, shoulders, and chest.
• Busts have been used for centuries to commemorate individuals and display their likenesses.
• They can be made from various materials, including marble, bronze, clay, and plaster.

2. Failure or Disappointment

• A bust refers to an unsuccessful or disappointing outcome.
• It is often used to describe a venture that has not met expectations or has ended in failure.
• In this sense, "bust" implies a sudden or unexpected setback.

Examples

• Sculpture: The bust of Alexander the Great by Lysippus
• Failure: "The company's new product launch was a complete bust."

bust relate terms

• burst

  Etymology The word burst comes from the Middle English word bersten which is derive

• blockbuster

  Etymology The word blockbuster originated in the early 20th century to describe a large

• buster

  Etymology The word buster has multiple origins Old French buster meaning to bu

• corsage

  Etymology The word corsage is derived from the French word corsage which refers to

• bodice

  Etymology The word bodice originates from the Old English word bodice meaning a sm

• boom

  Etymology The word boom has several etymological origins Middle Dutch bom meani

• decay

  Etymology Middle English decaien from Old French decaoir from Latin decadere decide

• shatter

  Etymology The word shatter comes from the Old English word sċeatterian which means

• lacerate

  Etymology From Latin lacerāre meaning to tear or mangle Ultimately derived from the

• chest

  Etymology Middle English cheste chist Old English ċēst Proto Germanic kastiz Pro