Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. To speak in a confused manner; talk incoherently;...

Ancestry of “rabble”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchroable—
2Latinrutabulumshovel; spatula ; any of several other tools with...
3Latinruō—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rew-to run, to hurry
5Proto-Indo-European-w-—

Words derived from “rabble”

  • rabblement
  • rabbling
  • rabblesome
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -w- →