English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com

brandish

The origin and history of brandish.

Etymology

From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English brand (“firebrand; torch”); equivalent to brand + -ish. More at brand.

← Back to the full definition of brandish
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.