Broad
/brɔːd/noun
Having a large distance from side to side; wide.
Did you know?In Old English, 'brad' referred not just to width, but also to a sense of openness, evoking images of wide expanses and freedom.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰréh₂tus
“Wide, vast; referring to a large space or area.”
Old English
Old English
brad
“Wide, broad; describing physical expanses as well as metaphorical openness.”
Middle English
Middle English
broad
“Preserving the sense of wide, emphasizing the physical and figurative breadth.”
Modern English
English
broad
“Retaining its original meaning of wide, while also acquiring connotations of inclusivity and expansiveness.”