Where does “midbrow” come from?
midbrow (English) comes from English MID, from English mid-range, from English range, from Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier, from Old French reng, from Latin rencus, from Gaulish rekos — to set in order.
midbrow (English): Alternative form of middlebrow
Definitions
- Alternative form of middlebrow
Ancestry of “midbrow”, step by step
midbrow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English MID
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | MID | Initialism of mobile information device |
| 2 | English | mid-range | Of a central or halfway point |
| 3 | English | range | A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc; A... |
| 4 | Middle English | rengen | — |
| 5 | Old French | rengier | to line up; to form ranks |
| 6 | Old French | reng | place; position |
| 7 | Latin | rencus | row; order, rank |
| 8 | Gaulish | rekos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | reketi | to arrange |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | (H)rek- | to set in order |