Where does “handbreadth” come from?
handbreadth (English) comes from Middle English handbrede, from Old English handbred, from Old English bred, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.
handbreadth (English): A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm
Definitions
- A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm
Ancestry of “handbreadth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | handbrede | — |
| 2 | Old English | handbred | palm |
| 3 | Old English | bred | surface; plank, board; table, tablet |
| 4 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 5 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |