hondbrede

Middle English

Alternative forms

• handbrede, hand brede, handbrode, handebrede, hande-brede, hande brede, handibreede, haunde-brede, hond-brede, hond brood, honde-brede

Etymology

From hond +‎ brede (“breadth”); some forms are influenced by brood (“broad”). The supposed Old English *handbrǣd, *handbrǣdu mentioned by some sources is not likely to have existed.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɔːndˌbrɛːd(ə)/, /ˈhandˌbrɛːd(ə)/, /-brɔːd/

Noun

hondbrede

1. handbreadth

Descendants

• ⇒ English: handbreadth
• Scots: handbreid

References

• “hō̆nd-brēde, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.