Where does “rend” come from?

Rend comes from Middle English renden, from Old English rendan, from Proto-Germanic hrandijaną, of uncertain ultimate origin.

rend (English): To separate into parts with force or sudden...

Definitions

  1. To separate into parts with force or sudden...

Ancestry of “rend”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrendento tear, rip
2Old Englishrendanto rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down
3Frankishrandijanto run, race, speed
4Proto-Germanichrindanąto push, thrust
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱret-to be strong

Words derived from “rend”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱret- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hrindaną →Every word from Frankish randijan →