Word Origin & History
treadO.E. tredan (class V strong verb; past tense træd, pp. treden), from P.Gmc. *tredanan (cf. O.Fris. treda, M.Du. treden, O.H.G. tretan, Ger. treten, Goth. trudan, O.N. troða). The noun is recorded from early 13c., from the verb; in reference to automobile tires, it is recorded from 1906. Treadmill
EXPANDinvented (and named) 1822 by William Cubitt of Ipswich, England; originally an instrument of prison discipline.
COLLAPSE