Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ranking” come from?

Ranking derives from Middle English ranken, from Old French reng meaning row or line, from Frankish hring, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- meaning to stretch or extend.

ranking (English): present participle of rank; Having a specified...

Definitions

  1. present participle of rank; Having a specified...

Ancestry of “ranking”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrankStrong of its kind or in character; unmitigated;...
2Middle Englishrankline, row; strong, proud
3Old Englishrancproud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, froward,...
4Proto-Germanicrankazerect, upright
5Proto-Indo-Europeanreǵ-to bind; straight, direct; straight, right

Words derived from “ranking”

  • unranking
  • midranking
  • ranking
Every word from Proto-Indo-European reǵ- →