break
To separate into pieces suddenly or violently; to fracture.
Etymology
From Old English brecan, from Proto-Germanic *brekaną. This traces to PIE *bʰreg- meaning "to break, to shatter." The root is well represented in Germanic and has cognates in Latin, showing the ancient pedigree of this fundamental verb.
The Journey: *bʰreg- → break
*bʰreg-
*brekaną
brecan
break
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *bʰreg-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | (none direct) |
| Latin | frangere (to break) |
| Gothic | brikan |
| Sanskrit | (none direct) |
| Old Irish | braigid (breaks wind) |
| Old High German | brehhan |
Did You Know?
Latin frangere "to break" gave English "fracture," "fragment," "fragile," and "frail." The word "breakfast" literally means "break the fast" — the meal that ends the overnight fast.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰreg-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.