Where does “breathe” come from?
Breathe comes from Middle English brethen, from Middle English breth, from Old English brǣþ, from Proto-Germanic brēþiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrē-t-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
breathe (English): To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases
Definitions
- To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases
Ancestry of “breathe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | brethen | to breathe, blow, exhale, odour |
| 2 | Middle English | breth | breath |
| 3 | Old English | brǣþ | odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | brēþiz | vapour; steam; breath; odour, smell |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrē-t- | exhalation from heat; steam |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |