Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “brush” come from?

Brush comes from Middle English brusshe, from Old French broisse, from Vulgar Latin brustia, from Proto-Germanic burstiz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥stís meaning bristle or stiff hair.

brush (English): An implement consisting of multiple more or less...

Definitions

  1. An implement consisting of multiple more or less...

Ancestry of “brush”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbrusshe—
2Old Frenchbroisse—
3Vulgar Latinbrustia—
4Icelandicburstibrush
5Proto-Germanicburstizbristle
6Proto-Germanicbʰurstís—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰr̥s-tí-s—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰers-top, tip, point

Words derived from “brush”

  • brushing
  • brushes
  • underbrush
  • brushwood
  • toothbrush
  • sagebrush
  • paintbrush
  • hairbrush
  • brushwork
  • brushy
  • airbrush
  • brushstroke
  • brushless
  • brushfire
  • bottlebrush
  • rabbitbrush
  • brushlike
  • lampbrush
  • nailbrush
  • brushland
  • bitterbrush
  • brusher
  • clothesbrush
  • brushful
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰers- →