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brack·en

(brăkən)

1. A fern (Pteridium aquilinum) found worldwide, with large, triangular fronds usually divided into three parts.

2. An area with dense thickets of this fern.

[Middle English braken, probably of Scandinavian origin; see bhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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