Heavy loads or weights that are physically carried, or difficult responsibilities and worries that weigh on someone's mind.
From Old French 'burdene,' which came from Vulgar Latin 'burdona,' possibly related to 'burro' (donkey). The meaning evolved from literal physical loads to metaphorical emotional or mental weights.
The word 'burden' originally referred to what a donkey could carry, which is why 'burro' (Spanish for donkey) is related—both languages were thinking about the same image of a struggling pack animal. This shows how humans have used animals as metaphors for struggling under weight for thousands of years.
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