Where does “brothel” come from?
brothel (Middle English) comes from Old English brēoþel, from Proto-Germanic breuþaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
Ancestry of “brothel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | brēoþel | degenerative, corruptive |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | breuþaną | to fall apart; crumble |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |