Where does “rite” come from?

Rite comes from Middle English rite, from Old English rīte, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtós, derived from the root h₃reǵ-.

rite (English): A religious custom; A prescribed behavior;...

Definitions

  1. A religious custom; A prescribed behavior;...

Ancestry of “rite”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishunspecified Middle English form—
2Old Englishbeby
3Proto-West Germanicbīby, at; near, around
4Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “rite”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts →