Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “frein” come from?

frein (French) comes from Old French frein, from Latin frēnum, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

frein (French): bit; brake; restraint, reserve

Definitions

  1. bit; brake; restraint, reserve

Ancestry of “frein”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchfreinbit
2Latinfrēnum—
3Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “frein”

  • servofrein
  • freinage
  • freiner
  • freineren
  • phanh
  • fren
  • freing
  • fring
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →