Where does “braces” come from?

Braces comes from Middle English brace, from Old French bracier, from Latin bracchia meaning "arms," derived from Ancient Greek βραχίων meaning "arm."

braces (English): plural of brace; A device worn on the teeth to...

Definitions

  1. plural of brace; A device worn on the teeth to...

Ancestry of “braces”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbraceArmor for the arm; vambrace; A measurement of...
2Middle EnglishbraceVambrace; armour which protects the arm; A cord...
3Old Frenchbracearm
4Latinbracchianominative plural of bracchium; accusative plural...
5Latinbracchiumforearm; arm; limb of an animal
6Ancient Greekβραχίωνthe arm, the shoulder; comparative degree of...
7Ancient Greekβραχύςshort, brief; short, small, little; few
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ-