Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Regulus” come from?

Regulus comes from Latin regulus, a diminutive formation from Latin rex (king), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ-, meaning to rule or direct.

Ancestry of “Regulus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinRegulus—
2Latinrēx—
3Proto-Italicrēksking
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →