Etymograph

English

embrasure

Embrasure comes from French embraser ‘to set fire to’, from Old French embrasure ‘cut at a slant, make a groove or furrow’, and ultimately from braser.

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400braser‘cut at a slant’
  2. Old French, derivedc. 842–1400embrasure‘cut at a slant, make a groove or furrow’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentembraser‘to set fire to’
  4. French, derivedc. 1600–presentembrasure
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1602same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400braser‘cut at a slant’
  2. Old French, derivedc. 842–1400embrasure‘cut at a slant, make a groove or furrow’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentembraser‘to set fire to’
  4. French, derivedc. 1600–presentembrasure
  5. Englishearliest quotation c. 1602same form

Earliest quotation: c. 1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida: “And suddenly; where injury of chance / Puts back…”

Every English word from Old French braser

Today it means

noun Any of the indentations between the merlons of a battlement; an opening in a wall or parapet through which ordnance can be fired.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Old French braser / embrasure

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