Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “breastwork” come from?

Breastwork derives from English breast and work, with breast tracing through Middle English brest and Old Norse brestr to Proto-Germanic wurkijaną and Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥stís, ultimately from the root bʰrews-.

breastwork (English): A fortification consisting of a breast-high...

Definitions

  1. A fortification consisting of a breast-high...

Ancestry of “breastwork”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2EnglishlacquerworkArtistic or decorative work made with lacquer
3EnglishlacquerA glossy, resinous material used as a surface...
4Frenchlacquea sort of sealing wax
5Portugueselacalake; lac
6Persianلاک—
7Urduلاکھlakh, lac
8Maharastri Prakrit𑀮𑀓𑁆𑀔—
9Sanskritलक्षa mark, sign, token; a mark to aim at, target,...
10Sanskritलक्ष्perceive, observe; recognise; to mark, sign
11Sanskritरक्ष्to protect, guard, watch, take care of, save,...
12Proto-Indo-AryanHrakṣ-—
13Proto-Indo-IranianHrakš-—
14Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂lek-to protect
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂lek- →