Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ready” come from?

Ready comes from Middle English redy, from Old English rǣde, from Proto-Germanic raidijaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to arrange or fit.

ready (English): Prepared for immediate action or use; Inclined;...

Definitions

  1. Prepared for immediate action or use; Inclined;...

Ancestry of “ready”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishredyready
2Middle Englishirēd—
3Old Englishrǣde—
4Proto-GermanicgaraidijazAlternative form of *garaidaz; arranged, ready
5Proto-GermanicraidijazAlternative form of *raidaz
6Proto-Germanicraidazready, arranged, prepared
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁dʰ-to care

Words derived from “ready”

  • readiness
  • readies
  • overready
  • overreadiness
  • ready-handed
  • prêt-à-porter
  • ready-handedness
  • foreready
  • ready-to-wear
  • make-ready
  • prêt-à-porter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁dʰ- →