Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “riteless” come from?

riteless (English) comes from English rite, from Middle English unspecified Middle English form, from Old English be, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts — on, onto.

riteless (English): Without rites

Definitions

  1. Without rites

Ancestry of “riteless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishriteA religious custom; A prescribed behavior;...
2Middle Englishunspecified Middle English form—
3Old Englishbeby
4Proto-West Germanicbīby, at; near, around
5Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →