Where does “rectify” come from?
Rectify comes from Middle English rectifien, from Old French rectefier, from Latin rectifico, derived from Latin rectus meaning "straight" or "right," from Latin rego meaning "to rule" or "to direct," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ-.
rectify (English): To heal; To restore to its proper condition; to...
Definitions
- To heal; To restore to its proper condition; to...
Ancestry of “rectify”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rectifien | — |
| 2 | Old French | rectefier | to make straight |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | rēctificō | — |
| 4 | Latin | rēctus | led straight along, drawn in a straight line, straight, upright |
| 5 | Latin | regō | to rule, govern, direct |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | regō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃réǵeti | to be straightening, to be setting upright |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |