Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “brooch” come from?

Brooch comes from Middle English broche, from Old French broche meaning a pointed tool or spit, from Latin broccus meaning projecting or prominent, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥stís meaning bristle.

brooch (English): A piece of women’s ornamental jewellery having a...

Definitions

  1. A piece of women’s ornamental jewellery having a...

Ancestry of “brooch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbroachA series of chisel points mounted on one piece of...
2Middle EnglishbrocheA spear or pike; a weapon for impalement; A spit;...
3Old Frenchbrochebrooch, pin; spit
4Vulgar Latinbroccafork, roasting-spit
5Ancient Greekπρόχοοςewer for pouring water upon the hands of guests;...
6Ancient Greekπρό-in front of; before
7Ancient Greekπρόbefore; before, in front, forth, forward; before,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanprótoward, leading to
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “brooch”

  • broche
  • broochlike
  • 브로치
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →