Where does “firebrand” come from?
Firebrand comes from Middle English fyrebrand, a compound of fyre (fire) and brand (a burning piece of wood or torch).
firebrand (English): An argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary;...
Definitions
- An argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary;...
Ancestry of “firebrand”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fyr-brand | firestarter that which starts a fire |
| 2 | Middle English | brand | fire, flame |
| 3 | Old English | brand | firebrand; torch; a sword |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | brand | fire, flame |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | brandaz | fire; flash; flame; burning; flaming; firebrand;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | brinnaną | to burn, to be on fire |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |