Brick
/brɪk/noun
A small rectangular block of baked clay or other material used in construction.
Did you know?Brick is believed to come through Middle Dutch from a Germanic root meaning a fragment or piece, a reminder that even the strongest walls begin as broken parts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bherǵ-
“to break, split”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brekaną
“to break”
Middle Dutch
Dutch
bricke
“a piece, fragment”
Middle English
English
bryk / bricke
“a baked clay block used in building”
Modern English
English
brick
“a small rectangular building block made of baked clay or similar material”