Where does “bridle” come from?
bridle (Middle English) comes from Middle English bridel, from Old English brīdel, from Proto-West Germanic *brigdil, from Proto-Germanic brigdilaz, from Proto-Germanic -ilaz, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
bridle (Middle English): Alternative form of bridel
Definitions
- Alternative form of bridel
Ancestry of “bridle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bridel | The bridle; the set of headwear for directing a... |
| 2 | Old English | brīdel | bridle |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *brigdil | strap, rein |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | brigdilaz | strap, rein; bridle |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -ilaz | agent suffix; diminutive suffix |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |