Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abroad” come from?

Abroad comes from Middle English abrood, formed from Middle English a- prefix and Middle English brood, ultimately tracing through Middle French a-, Latin ad-, Latin ad, Proto-Indo-European ád, and Proto-Indo-European uds- or úd.

abroad (English): Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign...

Definitions

  1. Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign...

Ancestry of “abroad”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishAThe ordinal number first, derived from this...
2EnglishANDAlternative form of ∧, the conjunction operator;...
3Middle Englishandand, and then; however, yet, but, though. while;...
4Old Englishandand; even; also
5Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “abroad”

  • abroadness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →