Where does “river” come from?
river (Danish) comes from Danish rive, from Old Norse hrífa, from Proto-Germanic hrībaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreybʰ- — to scratch, to tear.
river (Danish): indefinite plural of rive; present of rive
Definitions
- indefinite plural of rive; present of rive
Ancestry of “river”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danish | rive | rake; to grate; to scratch, tear, rip |
| 2 | Old Norse | hrífa | rake; to grip, snatch |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hrībaną | to scratch; to snatch, to grab |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreybʰ- | to scratch, to tear |