Where does “breasting” come from?

Breasting derives from English breast, from Middle English brest, from Old Norse brestr, from Proto-Germanic brestuz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥stís, ultimately from the root bʰers- meaning to break or burst.

breasting (English): present participle of breast; The curved channel...

Definitions

  1. present participle of breast; The curved channel...

Ancestry of “breasting”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbreastEither of the two organs on the front of a female...
2Middle Englishbrestchest, thorax; The breast in several contexts;...
3Old Englishbrēostchest
4Proto-West Germanicbreustbreast, chest
5Proto-Germanicbreustąbreast, chest
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrews-to break
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrews- →