Where does “broker” come from?

Broker comes from English break, from Old French -er, from Latin -are, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰreg-, meaning to break or fracture.

broker (English): comparative form of broke: more broke; A mediator...

Definitions

  1. comparative form of broke: more broke; A mediator...

Ancestry of “broker”, step by step

broker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English broke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishbrokesimple past tense of break; past participle of...
2Middle Englishbroce—
3Old Englishgebrocfragment
4Old Englishbrecanto break; to break into a place
5Proto-West Germanicbrekanto break
6Proto-Germanicbrekanąto break
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrēǵ-to shine, shimmer

via Middle English broker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbroker—
2Anglo-Normanbrocoursmall trader; broker
3Old Dutchbrokereone who determines the usages of trade, manager
4Old Dutchbroke—
5Proto-Germanicbrūkizuseful, useable
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰruHg-to make use of; have enjoyment of

Words derived from “broker”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrēǵ- →