Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “brace” come from?

Brace comes from Middle English brace, from Old French bracier, from Latin bracchia meaning "arms," ultimately from Ancient Greek βραχύς meaning "short."

brace (English): Armor for the arm; vambrace; A measurement of...

Definitions

  1. Armor for the arm; vambrace; A measurement of...

Ancestry of “brace”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbraceVambrace; armour which protects the arm; A cord...
2Old Frenchbracearm
3Latinbracchianominative plural of bracchium; accusative plural...
4Latinbracchiumforearm; arm; limb of an animal
5Ancient Greekβραχίωνthe arm, the shoulder; comparative degree of...
6Ancient Greekβραχύςshort, brief; short, small, little; few
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short

Words derived from “brace”

  • braced
  • bracing
  • braces
  • bracingly
  • thoroughbrace
  • unbrace
  • mainbrace
  • counterbrace
  • forebrace
  • crossbracing
  • neckbrace
  • rebrace
  • braceless
  • bracingness
  • overbrace
  • braceth
  • underbrace
  • bracest
  • armbrace
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- →