Breach Definition

brēch
breached, breaches, breaching
noun
breaches
An opening, tear, or rupture.
American Heritage
A gap or rift, especially in a solid structure such as a dike or fortification.
American Heritage
A failure to observe the terms, as of a law or promise, the customary forms, etc.; violation; infraction.
Webster's New World
An opening made by a breakthrough, as in a wall, line of defense, etc.
Webster's New World
A breaking or being broken.
Webster's New World
verb
breached, breaches, breaching
To make a breach in; break open or through.
Webster's New World
To break or violate (a contract, covenant, etc.)
Webster's New World
To leap clear of the water.
Webster's New World
To develop a hole or opening. Used especially of protective embankments.
The rising river caused the levee to breach.
American Heritage

To violate or break.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Breach

Noun

Singular:
breach
Plural:
breaches

Origin of Breach

  • From Middle English breche, from Old English briċe, bryċe (“breach, fracture, breaking, infringement; fragment”), from Proto-Germanic *brukiz (“breach, fissure”), from Proto-Germanic *brukōną, *brekaną (“to break”). Cognate with Scots breach, breiche, bretch, breack (“breach”), Saterland Frisian breeke (“breach, break”), Dutch breuk (“breach”), German Bruch (“breach”). More at break.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English breche from Old English brēc bhreg- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to breach using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

breach