Where does “retch” come from?
Retch comes from Middle English recchen, Old English reċċan, Proto-Germanic rakjaną, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots including reǵ-, ker-, h₃reǵ-, and -yeti, though the precise semantic development remains unclear.
retch (English): To make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; to...
Definitions
- To make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; to...
Ancestry of “retch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | recchen | to care; heed |
| 2 | Old English | reċċan | to stretch, extend; to stretch out, extend |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | rakkjan | to stretch, to straighten |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | rakjaną | to stretch, to straighten |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃roǵéyeti | to straighten, to make straight, to cause to be... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -éyeti | Forms causative imperfective verbs from roots;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yeti | Creates transitive imperfective verbs from roots |