Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “raindrop” come from?

Raindrop comes from Middle English rein-drope, from Old English reġndropa, from Proto-Germanic regnadrupô, which combines Proto-Germanic regną and an element meaning drop.

raindrop (English): A single droplet of rainwater that has just...

Definitions

  1. A single droplet of rainwater that has just...

Ancestry of “raindrop”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrein-drope—
2Old Englishreġndropadrop of rain, raindrop
3Proto-Germanicregnadrupôraindrop
4Proto-Germanicdrupôa drop
5Proto-GermanicdreupanąTo droop; drip
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrebʰ-to become thick or cloudy, curdle, ferment; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰrebʰ- →