Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “reeve” come from?

Reeve comes from Old English ġerēfa, which derives from Proto-Indo-European roots including Hrewp-, kreup-, and krep-, ultimately connected to concepts of gathering or heaping.

reeve (English): Any of several local officials, with varying...

Definitions

  1. Any of several local officials, with varying...

Ancestry of “reeve”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishreveA reeve or bailiff ; an administrator; An...
2Old Englishrēfa—
3Old Englishġerēfareeve, official; steward, reeve
4Proto-West Germanicgarāfijōcount; earl; reeve, bailiff

Words derived from “reeve”

  • hogreeve
  • landreeve
  • shire-reeve
Every word from Proto-West Germanic garāfijō →