Etymology

handbreadth

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Today it means: A space equal to the breadth of the hand; a palm. Full definition →

Middle English handbrede
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The story

  1. Middle English · derived fromhandbrede
  2. English todayhandbreadth

Alteration (due to breadth) of Middle English handbrede, hondbrede (“handbreadth”); equivalent to hand + breadth. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Houndebratte (“handbreadth”), West Frisian hânbreedte (“handbreadth”), Dutch handbreedte (“handbreadth”), German Handbreite (“handbreadth”) and Handbreit, Swedish handsbredd (“handbreadth”), Norwegian håndsbredd (“handbreadth”), Icelandic handbreidd (“handbreadth”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.