Etymology

From the same source as the verb brist (q.v.), with change of the final consonant and an extra element lo, apparently originally an adjective meaning probably “shallow.” The Lithuanian and Old Prussian forms correspond to a variant brasts found in Courland dialects and in some placenames (Brastvalks) and family names (Brastiņš); the Slavic forms correspond to a dialectal variant brads, also found in placenames (Bradas, Bradaiži). Cognates include Lithuanian brastà, dialectal brasvà, brastvà “ford; miry path, swampy meadow,” Old Prussian *brast- “ford” (in placenames, e.g., Balkombrastun), Proto-Slavic *brodъ (Russian, Belarusian брод ‎(brod), Ukrainian брід ‎(brid), Bulgarian брод ‎(brod), Czech brod, Polish bród), ^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɾasls]