Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “brook” come from?

Brook comes from Middle English brouken, from Old English brūcan, from Proto-Germanic brūkaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰruHg-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mer-.

brook (English): To use; enjoy; have the full employment of; To...

Definitions

  1. To use; enjoy; have the full employment of; To...

Ancestry of “brook”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbroukento use, enjoy
2Old Englishbrūcanto use, enjoy; to enjoy, brook, use, possess,...
3Proto-West Germanicbrūkanto use, to employ; to consume
4Proto-Germanicbrūkanąto make use of, employ, use, consume
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰruHg-to make use of; have enjoyment of

Words derived from “brook”

  • Brookhaven
  • brooklet
  • brookside
  • Colnbrook
  • brooklime
  • brookie
  • brooketh
  • brooklike
  • unbrookable
  • abrook
  • brookest
  • brookweed
  • unbrookably
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰruHg- →