Where does “ribald” come from?

Ribald comes from Middle English ribald, from Old French ribaud, derived from Old French riber meaning to scratch or scrape, from Frankish rīban, from Proto-Germanic wrībaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European werb- and wer-.

ribald (English): Coarsely, vulgarly, or lewdly amusing; referring...

Definitions

  1. Coarsely, vulgarly, or lewdly amusing; referring...

Ancestry of “ribald”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishribald—
2Old Frenchribaudscoundrel
3Old Frenchriberto be licentious
4Frankishrībanto copulate, be in heat
5Proto-Germanicwrībanąto rub; to wipe
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwerp-to bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “ribald”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European werp- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wrībaną →