Where does “red” come from?

Red derives from English rede, which comes from Proto-Germanic raudaz, itself from Proto-Indo-European h₁rowdʰós, ultimately tracing to the Proto-Indo-European root kret-.

red (English): Having red as its color; Having an orange-brown...

Definitions

  1. Having red as its color; Having an orange-brown...

Ancestry of “red”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishredred, crimson, scarlet; red pigment; reddened,...
2Old Englishrēadred
3Proto-West Germanicraudred
4Proto-Germanicraudazred
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rowdʰósred thing
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red

Words derived from “red”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- →