'bracket' originates from Middle English, likely from Old French 'braguette' (a diminutive form related to 'brague'), where 'brague' referred to a piece of clothing (breeches) or a small projecting piece.

'braguette' (Old French) changed into Middle English forms such as 'braket' and eventually became the modern English word 'bracket', shifting from a sense of a small projecting piece to the architectural support and then to related senses.

Initially, it meant 'a small projecting piece or support', but over time it evolved into its current range of meanings including 'support', 'punctuation mark', 'category', and 'tournament diagram'.