Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “brass” come from?

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

brass (English): A metallic alloy of copper and zinc used in many...

Definitions

  1. A metallic alloy of copper and zinc used in many...

Ancestry of “brass”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishbrazabreaststroke; fathom About 1.67 metres. Twice a...
2Old Spanishbraça—
3Latinbrachianominative plural of brachium; 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 “brass”

  • brassy
  • brasswork
  • brassie
  • brassware
  • brassbound
  • brassiness
  • brassworks
  • brassfounder
  • brassily
  • brassen
  • brassfounding
  • brasswind
  • brassworking
  • firebrass
  • nonbrass
  • brass ceiling
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- →