British statesman famous for his oratory; pleaded the cause of the American colonists in British Parliament and defended the parliamentary system (1729-1797)
"Burke delivered a powerful speech defending the rights of the American colonies while upholding the principles of the British constitution."
United States frontierswoman and legendary figure of the Wild West noted for her marksmanship (1852-1903)
"The town's annual rodeo honored Burke, the legendary frontierswoman celebrated for her exceptional marksmanship."
Alternative form of berk
"The old dictionary lists burke as an alternative spelling for the slang term berk."
murder without leaving a trace on the body
"The detective suspected that the victim had been burked in an abandoned warehouse to prevent anyone from finding the remains."
To murder by suffocation
"The killer managed to burke his victim using a pillow before she lost consciousness."
A topographical surname, from Anglo-Norman for someone who lived in a fortified place.
"The Burke family has served as stewards of the castle since they first settled there under their ancestral name."
The word burke comes directly from the name of William Burke, who was involved in a notorious murder case that led to the term's association with killing someone for their body parts or insurance money. It entered English as an eponym derived specifically from his surname rather than evolving from any other root language.