An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/breit

by Friedrich Kluge

breit, adj., ‘broad, wide,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. breit; it corresponds to OSax. brêd, Du. breed, AS. brâd, E. broad, Goth. braiþs, ‘broad.’ Probably from pre-Teut. mraitó-, akin to the root mrit preserved in Sans., ‘to fall to pieces’ (properly ‘to extend’?).