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breeches

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English word breeches comes from Proto-Germanic *brōks (trousers), which itself is derived from earlier *brāks (rear end, rump), from Pre-Germanic *bʰrāg-, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg- (to break, crack, split)

*bʰreg- (Proto-Indo-European)

to break, crack, split

*brāks (Proto-Germanic)

*brōks (Proto-Germanic)

rear end, rump, hindquarters, but also trousers

*brōkiz (Proto-Germanic)

brōc (Old English)

brēċ (Old English)

brech (Middle English)

breches (Middle English)

breeches (English)

(informal) Trousers; pantaloons; britches.. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.

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