bread
UK[bred]US[bred]
n
A food made from flour, water, and usually yeast, mixed together and baked.
Etymology
The English word 'bread' originates from the Old English 'brēad', meaning a fragment, morsel, or piece of food, specifically a bit of bread. This Old English term is of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse 'brauð', German 'Brot', and Dutch 'brood'. The original Proto-Germanic root likely referred to the action of brewing or fermenting, linking to the leavening process, before specializing to denote the baked staple food itself. This semantic evolution from a general term for a piece of food to the specific modern meaning highlights the central role of this foodstuff in the diet and language of early Germanic peoples.
Analysis
The word 'bread' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes within modern English spelling.
Examples
I bought a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery.
Would you like some butter on your bread?
The recipe calls for two slices of whole wheat bread.