bracket
UK[ˈbrækɪt]US[ˈbrækɪt]
n
a piece of metal, wood, or plastic fixed to a wall to support something like a shelf or lamp
n
one of two marks, ( ) or [ ] or { }, used to enclose extra information or to group items together in writing or mathematics
n
a category or range, especially of income or age
v
to put something inside brackets
v
to consider people or things as being similar or connected in some way
Morpheme Breakdown
brack
et
brack
nosebag, breeches
et
diminutive suffix
Etymology
the word "bracket" has a curious journey from clothing to architecture. it entered english in the late 16th century from the old french "braguette", a diminutive meaning "codpiece" – a pouch or support in men's breeches. the architectural sense of a projecting support likely arose from a perceived resemblance in shape to this garment part. by the 18th century, the typographical marks ( ) were so named because they were seen as resembling the form of an architectural bracket. this evolution demonstrates how a word for a specific item of clothing, through metaphorical extension based on shape and function, came to denote a supportive structure and then a pair of enclosing punctuation marks.
Analysis
Structure: brack (nosebag, breeches) + et (diminutive suffix)
the morpheme "brack" originates from old french "braguette", meaning "codpiece, breeches", itself from a diminutive of old provençal "braga", derived from latin "braca" (trousers). the functional role is to provide the core semantic concept related to a supporting or enclosing garment. the morpheme "et" is a diminutive suffix of old french origin, indicating a small or lesser version of something.
Examples
she fixed the shelf to the wall using a sturdy metal bracket.
please add the explanatory note in parentheses or square brackets.
people in the higher income tax bracket will be most affected by the change.