Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rev” come from?

Rev derives from Middle English revolucion, from Latin reverendus (worthy of respect) and revereor (to regard with awe), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root wel- (to wish or desire).

rev (English): To increase the speed of a motor, or to operate...

Definitions

  1. To increase the speed of a motor, or to operate...

Ancestry of “rev”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrevolutionA political upheaval in a government or nation...
2Middle Englishrevolucion—
3Old Frenchrevolucionpassage; elapsing of time
4Late LatinrevolutioThe act of revolving; revolution
5Latinrevolvō—
6Latinrĕ-—
7Latinprōdūcō—
8Latinprō-—
9Proto-Italic*pro-—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
12Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “rev”

  • revver
  • overrev
  • revvy
  • revhead
  • revvable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →