Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-ridden” come from?

-ridden (English) comes from English bedridden, from Middle English bedredyn, from Old English bedreda, from Old English bed, from Old English bedd, from Proto-West Germanic badi, from Persian بدی, from Persian بد — to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish.

-ridden (English): Figuratively construed as "repeatedly subject to"...

Definitions

  1. Figuratively construed as "repeatedly subject to"...

Ancestry of “-ridden”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbedriddenConfined to bed because of infirmity or illness
2Middle Englishbedredyn—
3Old EnglishbedredaAlternative form of beddrida; bedridden
4Old EnglishbedAlternative form of bedd; bed; prayer,...
5Old Englishbeddbed
6Proto-West Germanicbadibed
7Persianبدی—
8Persianبدbad; not good; evil; poorly, badly
9Middle Persian𐭯𐭥𐭭to; at; in
10Proto-Iranianpati-against, toward; lord
11Proto-Iranian*rādi-—
12Proto-Iranian*rād-—
13Proto-Indo-IranianHraHdʰ-—
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish

Words derived from “-ridden”

  • guiltridden
  • crimeridden
  • debt-ridden
  • crime-ridden
  • crisis-ridden
  • war-ridden
  • scum-ridden
  • sleaze-ridden
  • strife-ridden
  • disease-ridden
  • obstacle-ridden
  • book-ridden
  • caste-ridden
  • priest-ridden
  • conflict-ridden
  • angst-ridden
  • drudgery-ridden
  • drug-ridden
  • cliché-ridden
  • scandal-ridden
  • waste-ridden
  • violence-ridden
  • guilt-ridden
  • church-ridden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ- →