Where does “red book” come from?

red book (English) comes from English Red, from English rede, from Middle English reden, from Old English rǣdan, from Proto-West Germanic rādan, from Proto-Germanic rēdaną, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁- — to fit, to fix, to put together.

red book (English): A book, often bound with a red cover, or online...

Definitions

  1. A book, often bound with a red cover, or online...

Ancestry of “red book”, step by step

red book traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Red

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRedA Communist; A supporter of a sports team who...
2EnglishredeHelp, advice, counsel; Decision, a plan; To...
3Middle Englishredento counsel, advise; to study; to read
4Old Englishrǣdanto read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,...
5Proto-West Germanicrādanto advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,...
6Proto-Germanicrēdanąto decide, advise
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

via English Book

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBookthe Bible
2Germanbūchbook collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge; long work fit for publication
3Middle High Germanbuoch
4Old High Germanbuohbook
5Proto-Germanicbōk
6Proto-Germanicbakanąto bake
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₃g-to bake, to roast, to fry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ-