Where does handbreadth come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

handbreadth

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

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noun

"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee:"
"[…] I saw the library casement open a handbreadth; I knew I might be watched thence; so I went apart into the orchard."
"She followed him into the scullery, and combed her hair before the handbreadth of mirror by the back door."

Alteration (due to breadth) of Middle English handbrede, hondbrede (“handbreadth”); equivalent to hand + breadth. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Houndebratte (“handbreadth”), West Frisian hânbreedte (“handbreadth”), Dutch handbreedte (“handbreadth”), German Handbreite (“handbreadth”) and Handbreit, Swedish handsbredd (“handbreadth”), Norwegian håndsbredd (“handbreadth”), Icelandic handbreidd (“handbreadth”).

handbreadths (plural)