Where does “breath” come from?

Breath comes from Middle English breth, Old English brǣþ, Proto-Germanic brēþiz, and Proto-Indo-European bʰrē-t-, ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root bʰer-.

breath (English): The act or process of breathing; A single act of...

Definitions

  1. The act or process of breathing; A single act of...

Ancestry of “breath”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbreethbreath
2Old Englishbrǣþodor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor
3Proto-Germanicbrēþizvapour; steam; breath; odour, smell
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrē-t-exhalation from heat; steam
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

Words derived from “breath”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →