Old English brynstan, from brin- stem of brinnen "to burn" (see burn, v.) + stan (see stone, n.). In Middle English the first element also recorded as brem-, brom-, brum-, bren-, brin-, bron-, brun-, bern-, born-, burn-, burned-, and burnt-. Formerly "the mineral sulfur," now restricted to biblical usage.The Old Norse cognate compound brennusteinn meant "amber," as does German Bernstein.