Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “rechten” come from?

rechten (Dutch) comes from Dutch recht, from Middle Dutch recht, from Old Dutch reht, from Proto-West Germanic reht, from Proto-Germanic rehtaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtós, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

rechten (Dutch): To seek justice, notably; To straighten; To...

Definitions

  1. To seek justice, notably; To straighten; To...

Ancestry of “rechten”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchrechtright; straight; a right, privilege
2Middle Dutchrechtstraight, not bent; upright; right, exact
3Old Dutchrehtright
4Proto-West Germanicrehtstraight; right, correct; morally upright, just
5Proto-Germanicrehtazright, straight; morally upright, just
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵtósstraightened, right, upright
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “rechten”

  • dierenrechten
  • homorechten
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →