Where does “erect” come from?
Erect comes from Middle English erecten, from Latin erectus, the past participle of erigere, meaning to set upright, derived from ex- and rego, meaning to rule or direct.
erect (English): Upright; vertical or reaching broadly upwards;...
Definitions
- Upright; vertical or reaching broadly upwards;...
Ancestry of “erect”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | erect | — |
| 2 | Latin | ērectus | erected, made upright, raised, having been set up |
| 3 | Latin | ērigō | to raise up, elevate, lift |
| 4 | Latin | regō | to rule, govern, direct |
| 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 |