'dread' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'drǣdan' (verb) and 'drǣd' (noun), where the root 'drǣd' meant 'fear'.

'dread' changed from the Old English word 'drǣdan'/'drǣd' and passed through Middle English forms before becoming the modern English word 'dread'.

Initially, it meant 'to fear greatly' (and the noun meant 'fear'); over time the core sense of strong fear has largely remained, while additional uses (e.g., as part of a hairstyle name 'dreads') developed later.