Where does “threat” come from?

Threat comes from Middle English threten, from Old English þrēat, from Proto-Germanic þrautaz.

threat (English): An expression of intent to injure or punish...

Definitions

  1. An expression of intent to injure or punish...

Ancestry of “threat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishthrete
2Old Englishþrēatcrowd, swarm, troop, army, press; pressure,...
3Proto-Germanicþrautaz
4Proto-Indo-Europeantrewd-to push, to thrust

Words derived from “threat

Every word from Proto-Indo-European trewd-Every word from Proto-Germanic þrautazEvery word from Old English þrēat