Where does “brickwit” come from?

brickwit (English) comes from English Wit, from English with, from Middle English wiþ, from Old English wiþ, from Old English wiþer, from Proto-West Germanic wiþr, from Proto-Germanic wiþrą, from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero- — apart, asunder; away from, against.

brickwit (English): A fool; an idiot

Definitions

  1. A fool; an idiot

Ancestry of “brickwit”, step by step

brickwit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Wit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWitSanity
2EnglishwithAgainst; In the company of; alongside, close to;...
3Middle Englishwiþwith
4Old Englishwiþagainst, opposite; along, towards; with
5Old Englishwiþertoward, against; again, against; against, in...
6Proto-West Germanicwiþrtoward, against
7Proto-Germanicwiþrątoward, against
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwī-tero-further apart
9Proto-Indo-Europeanwiapart, asunder; away from, against

via English Brick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBricknamed after Joseph Brick
2EnglishBridgeOS grid ref TR1854. Recorded as Brige in 1086 (DB), from
3Middle EnglishbriggeA bridge
4Old Norsebryggjapier, gangway
5Proto-Germanicbrewwanąto brew
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wiEvery word from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero-Every word from Proto-Germanic wiþrą
brickwit — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer