Where does “rather” come from?

Rather comes from Middle English rather, from Old English hraþor, from Old English hræþe, from Old English hræd meaning swift, from Proto-Germanic hradaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kret-.

rather (English): More quickly; sooner, earlier; Used to specify a...

Definitions

  1. More quickly; sooner, earlier; Used to specify a...

Ancestry of “rather”, step by step

rather traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English rether

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishretherAlternative form of rother
2Middle Englishratheremore quickly, earlier
3Old Englishhraþorsooner, quicker
4Old Englishhræþesoon
5Proto-West Germanic*hraþō—

via Middle English rather

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishratherrather
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *hraþō →Every word from Old English hræþe →Every word from Old English hraþor →