Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rein” come from?

Rein comes from Middle French reins, from Old French resne, from Proto-Germanic regną meaning "to guide or direct," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European reǵ- meaning "to rule or straighten."

rein (English): A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used...

Definitions

  1. A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used...

Ancestry of “rein”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishreinstrip of land forming a boundary; furrow;...
2Old Frenchresnerein
3Late Latinretina—
4Latinretinēre—
5Latinrĕ-—
6Latinprōdūcō—
7Latinprō-—
8Proto-Italic*pro-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “rein”

  • checkrein
  • reinless
  • unrein
  • reineth
  • reinest
  • surrein'd
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →