embrace

Where does the word "embrace" come from? It comes from Latin bracchia, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Embrace’s story begins in Latin: bracchia meant “arms.” Plural of 'bracchium', arm, from Greek 'brakhion'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as embracer. 'en-', in, plus 'brace', the two arms. It reached English by 1300s as embrace. 'embrace an idea' dates from the 1500s. Today, embrace means to hold closely in one's arms; to accept willingly.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bracchia "arms", plural of 'bracchium', arm, from Greek 'brakhion'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval embracer "to clasp in the arms", 'en-', in, plus 'brace', the two arms.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s embrace "to hug", 'embrace an idea' dates from the 1500s.