Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mouthbreathing” come from?

mouthbreathing (English) comes from English breathing, from English breathe, from Middle English brethen, from Middle English breth, from Old English brǣþ, from Proto-Germanic brēþiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrē-t-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.

mouthbreathing (English): The process of breathing through the mouth;...

Definitions

  1. The process of breathing through the mouth;...

Ancestry of “mouthbreathing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishbreathingpresent participle of breathe; The act of...
2EnglishbreatheTo draw air into , and expel air from , the lungs...
3Middle Englishbrethento breathe, blow, exhale, odour
4Middle Englishbrethbreath
5Old Englishbrǣþodor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor
6Proto-Germanicbrēþizvapour; steam; breath; odour, smell
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrē-t-exhalation from heat; steam
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- →