An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Brett

by Friedrich Kluge

Brett, n., ‘board, plank, shelf, counter,’ from the equiv. MidHG. brët, OHG. brët, n.; corresponds to AS. brëd, n,; Goth. *brid, n. It has been shown under Bort, ‘board,’ that the OTeut. word for Brett had two stems, primarily identical and separated only by gradation, viz., bredo- and bordo-, whose connection might be represented thus: Ind. bradhas is related to bṛdhas, as Aryan bhrédhos is to bhṛdhós, n.; MidHG. brët combines the meanings ‘board, shield,’ &c., like AS. bord; see also Korb.