Where does “brand” come from?
brand (French) comes from Middle French brand, from Old French brant, from Frankish brand, from Proto-Germanic brandaz, from Proto-Germanic brinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
brand (French): a sword
Ancestry of “brand”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | brand | — |
| 2 | Old French | brant | Alternative form of branc |
| 3 | Frankish | brand | sword; burnt log; brand; cinder; firebrand,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | brandaz | fire; flash; flame; burning; flaming; firebrand;... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | brinnaną | to burn, to be on fire |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |