spread

Where does the word "spread" come from? It comes from Old English spredan, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Spread’s story begins in Old English: spredan meant “to extend, to stretch out.” An Old English word surviving mainly in compounds such as 'tōsprǣdan'. It reached English by 1200s as spread. Settled as the modern English word for extending over an area. Today, spread means to extend over a wider area, or a paste for spreading on food.

1. Stage 1 · Old English · old english spredan "to extend, to stretch out", an Old English word surviving mainly in compounds such as 'tōsprǣdan'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s spread "to extend over an area", settled as the modern English word for extending over an area.