Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “redcoat” come from?

redcoat (English) comes from English red, from Middle English red, from Old English rēad, from Proto-West Germanic raud, from Proto-Germanic raudaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rowdʰós, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.

redcoat (English): A British soldier, especially during the American...

Definitions

  1. A British soldier, especially during the American...

Ancestry of “redcoat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishredHaving red as its color; Having an orange-brown...
2Middle Englishredred, crimson, scarlet; red pigment; reddened,...
3Old Englishrēadred
4Proto-West Germanicraudred
5Proto-Germanicraudazred
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rowdʰósred thing
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- →