Where does “right-hearted” come from?

right-hearted (English) comes from English right, from Middle English right, from Old English riht, from Proto-West Germanic reht, from Proto-Germanic rehtaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtós, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

right-hearted (English): Having a right heart or disposition; good-hearted

Definitions

  1. Having a right heart or disposition; good-hearted

Ancestry of “right-hearted”, step by step

right-hearted traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English right

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrightStraight, not bent; Of an angle, having a size of...
2Middle EnglishrightA good deed, right action; A just or equitable...
3Old Englishrihtstraight; right, true, correct; rightful,...
4Proto-West Germanicrehtstraight; right, correct; morally upright, just
5Proto-Germanicrehtazright, straight; morally upright, just
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵtósstraightened, right, upright
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

via English hearted

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishheartedsimple past tense and past participle of heart;...
2Middle EnglishhertedHaving a specified disposition, emotion, or...
3Middle EnglishherteThe heart; One's inner self; the mind or...
4Old Englishheorteheart
5Proto-West Germanichertāheart
6Proto-Germanichertôheart
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱḗrheart
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtósEvery word from Proto-Germanic rehtaz