broker

broker · adjective¹

From broke + -er.

broker · noun, verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰruHg-“to use, enjoy”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*brūkiz“use, custom”
3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*brūkī“use, custom”
4. Old Dutch · derived from*brokere“one who determines the usages of trade, manager”
5. Anglo-Norman · derived frombrocour“small trader”
6. Middle English · inherited frombroker
7. English todaybroker

From Middle English broker, brokour, brocour, from Anglo-Norman brocour (“small trader”) (compare also abroker (“to act as a broker”)), from Old Dutch *brokere (“one who determines the usages of trade, manager”), from broke, bruyck, breuck (“use, usage, trade”), from Proto-West Germanic *brūkī (“use, custom”), from Proto-Germanic *brūkiz (“use, custom”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰruHg- (“to use, enjoy”), equivalent to brook + -er. Cognates Cognate with Middle Low German brukere (“a broker”), Danish bruger (“a broker, user, handler”), Swedish bruk (“use, custom, trade, business”), Old English broc (“use, profit, advantage, foredeal”). Compare also French brocanter (“to deal in second-hand goods”) from the same Germanic source. More at brook.

Words from the same roots