An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/brechen

by Friedrich Kluge

brechen, verb, ‘to break,’ from the equivalent Middle High German brëchen, Old High German brëhhan; compare the corresponding Gothic brikan, Old Low German and Anglo-Saxon brecan, English to break, Dutch breken, ‘to break.’ From a root brek common to Teutonic, which is derived from pre-Teutonic bhreg; compare Latin frangere, the nasal of which is wanting in frêg-i. The Modern High German Brachfeld, Bruch, Brocken, are formed by gradation from the same root.