Where does “spread” come from?
Spread derives from Middle English spreden, from Old English sprǣdan, from Proto-Germanic spraidijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)per- with the suffix -éyeti or -yeti.
spread (English): To stretch out, open out so that it more fully...
Definitions
- To stretch out, open out so that it more fully...
Ancestry of “spread”, step by step
spread traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English read
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | read | To look at and interpret letters or other... |
| 2 | Middle English | reden | to counsel, advise; to study; to read |
| 3 | Old English | rǣdan | to read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | rādan | to advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rēdaną | to decide, advise |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | Hreh₁dʰ- | to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂reh₁- | to think, reason; to arrange |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |
via English Speed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Speed | The state of moving quickly or the capacity for rapid motion |
| 2 | Middle English | sped | good fortune |
| 3 | Old English | spēd | success; luck, prosperity, success |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | spōdi | hurry, rush; success, prosperity |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | spōan | to succeed, prosper |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | spōaną | to prosper, succeed, be happy |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | spéh₁- | to succeed, to prosper |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | speh₁- | to succeed, to prosper |
via Middle English spreden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spreden | to spread |
| 2 | Old English | sprǣdan | to spread, expand; to expand, spread; to... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | spraidijaną | to spread; to distribute |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)per- | to strew, sow, sprinkle; to sow, sprinkle, strew;... |