-bury

From Old English byriġ, the dative case of burg (“fortified place”) (whence borough).

Due to the collapse of the case system between Old and Middle English, many placenames retain a fossilized dative form, as places would most commonly have been invoked in the dative (after a preposition in, at, to etc.).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /-bɹi/, /-bəɹi/, /-bɹɪ/, /-bəɹɪ/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Audio (Southern England):

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• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /-bɹi/, /-bɘɹi/

-bury

1. A placename suffix indicating a fortified place.
   • 1983, Barry Cunliffe, chapter 3, in Danebury Hillfort, Stroud: Tempus:

     Some of these hilltops – Sidbury, Quarley, Danebury and Woolbury – were later, in the sixth and fifth centuries, appropriated for the building of hillforts.

• -borough
• -boro
• -burg
• -burgh

• bur-

• Ruby, ruby