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
- A fortification consisting of a breast-high...
Ancestry of “breastwork”, step by step
breastwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English work
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | work | "Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to... |
| 2 | Middle English | werk | work |
| 3 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |
via English breast
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | breast | Either of the two organs on the front of a female... |
| 2 | Middle English | brest | chest, thorax; The breast in several contexts;... |
| 3 | Old English | brēost | chest |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | breust | breast, chest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | breustą | breast, chest |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrews- | to break |