Where does “dirge” come from?
Dirge comes from Middle English dirige, from Latin dirige, the imperative of dirigo meaning to direct or guide, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- meaning to rule.
dirge (English): A mournful poem or piece of music composed or...
Definitions
- A mournful poem or piece of music composed or...
Ancestry of “dirge”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dirige | The portion of a Christian remembrance service... |
| 2 | Latin | dirige | second-person singular present active imperative... |
| 3 | Latin | dirigo | I lay straight; arrange in lines; I direct,... |
| 4 | Latin | rego | I rule, govern; I guide, steer; I oversee, manage |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | regō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃réǵeti | to be straightening, to be setting upright |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |