Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “praten” come from?

praten (Middle English) comes from Old English prætt, from Proto-Germanic prattuz, from Proto-Indo-European brodnó- — to wander about.

Ancestry of “praten”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishprætttrick, prank, practical joke
2Proto-Germanicprattuzboastful talk; deceit, trickery, stratagem, list,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbrodnó-to wander about

Words derived from “praten”

  • prattle
  • prate
  • prattling
  • prating
  • prater
  • prattler
  • prateth
  • prattlement
  • prattlesome
  • prateful
  • prattlingly
  • prittle-prattle
  • pratingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European brodnó- →