Burly
Middle English (in the sense ‘dignified, imposing’): probably from an unrecorded Old English word meaning ‘stately, fit for the bower’ (see bower1, -ly1).
wiktionary
From Middle English burly, burely, borly, burlich, borlich, borlic(“tall, stately”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots burely, burly(“rough, stout, sturdy, strong”). Perhaps from Old English *būrlīċ(“noble, stately”, literally “bowerly”), equivalent to bower + -ly; or from Old English *byrlīċ(“high, raised”), from byre(“raised area, mound”), cognate with Old High German burlīh, purlīh(“lofty, elevated, high, exalted”), related to Old High German burjan(“to raise, lift, push up”). See burgeon.
burl + -y
etymonline
burly (adj.)
c. 1300, borlich, "excellent, noble; handsome, beautiful," probably from Old English borlice "noble, stately," literally "bowerly," that is, fit to frequent a lady's apartment (see bower). Sense descended through "stout, sturdy" (c. 1400) to "heavily built." Another theory connects the Old English word to Old High German burlih "lofty, exalted," related to burjan "to raise, lift." In Middle English also of things; now only of persons. Related: Burliness.
