Where does “housebreaker” come from?

housebreaker (English) comes from English breaker, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti — he, she.

housebreaker (English): A criminal who breaks into and enters another's...

Definitions

  1. A criminal who breaks into and enters another's...

Ancestry of “housebreaker”, step by step

housebreaker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English breaker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbreakerSomething that breaks; A machine for breaking...
2English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
3Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
4Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
5Latin-ārefirst conjugation
6Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
7Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
10Chichewaiyehe, she

via English House

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHouseA particular chamber of political representation
2Middle Englishhoushouse, residence; house of worship, temple;...
3Old Englishhūsdwelling, shelter, house; house
4Proto-West Germanichūshouse
5Proto-Germanichūsąhouse
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewH-to cover, bedeck; cover
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from English -erEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti