Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “breech” come from?

Breech comes from Middle English breche, Old English bryċe, and Proto-Germanic brōkiz and brōks, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰrāg- and bʰreg-, which shared a root sense of breaking or fracturing.

breech (English): A garment whose purpose is to cover or clothe the...

Definitions

  1. A garment whose purpose is to cover or clothe the...

Ancestry of “breech”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbrecheAlternative form of birche
2Old Englishbryċefracture, breach; breach; breaking
3Proto-West Germanicbrukibreak
4Proto-Germanicbrūkizuseful, useable
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰruHg-to make use of; have enjoyment of

Words derived from “breech”

  • breeches
  • britches
  • breeching
  • breechcloth
  • breechloader
  • breechclout
  • breechblock
  • breechless
  • breechesmaker
  • underbreeches
  • unbreech
  • breechesless
  • nonbreech
  • knee-breeches
  • bricseszek
  • bricsesz
  • forbhríste
  • bríste
  • brístín
  • fobhríste
  • fo-vreeçhyn
  • breeçhyn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰruHg- →