Where does “rabble” come from?
Rabble comes from Middle English rablen, from Latin rutabulum, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots forming instrumental noun suffixes.
rabble (English): To speak in a confused manner; talk incoherently;...
Definitions
- To speak in a confused manner; talk incoherently;...
Ancestry of “rabble”, step by step
rabble traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French roable
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | roable | — |
| 2 | Latin | rutabulum | shovel; spatula (for cooking); any of several other tools with a flattened end |
| 3 | Latin | ruō | to hurry, rush, hasten, move quickly |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃rew- | to run, to hurry |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -w- | — |
via Middle English rablen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rablen | to ramble; rave; speak in a confused manner |