Where does “rivet” come from?

Rivet comes from Old French rivet, derived from Old French river, which comes from Old French rive meaning bank, ultimately from Latin ripa and Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to scratch or tear.

rivet (English): A cylindrical mechanical fastener that attaches...

Definitions

  1. A cylindrical mechanical fastener that attaches...

Ancestry of “rivet”, step by step

rivet traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French rivet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchrivet—
2Old Frenchriverto fetter
3Old Frenchriverim, edge
4Latinrīpabank (of a river)
5Proto-Italicreipāriver bank
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁réyp-eh₂—

via French rivet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchrivetrivet mechanical fastener

Words derived from “rivet”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁réyp-eh₂ →Every word from Proto-Italic reipā →Every word from Latin rīpa →