Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “road” come from?

Road comes from Middle English rade, Old English rād, Proto-Germanic raidō, and Proto-Indo-European roots including kret- and reydʰ-.

road (English): A way used for travelling between places,...

Definitions

  1. A way used for travelling between places,...

Ancestry of “road”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishrodeA cross or gibbet; The cross of Christ; The cross...
2Old Englishrādroad; riding, hostile incursion; riding, road
3Proto-West Germanicraiduriding, ride
4Proto-Germanicraidōride, journey; name of the R-rune
5Proto-Germanicrīdanąto ride
6Proto-Indo-Europeanrēydʰ-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

Words derived from “road”

  • railroad
  • roadside
  • roadblock
  • roadbed
  • crossroad
  • roadster
  • roadless
  • roadhouse
  • roadkill
  • roadie
  • roadwork
  • roadrunner
  • roadshow
  • roading
  • roadmaking
  • roadman
  • roadbuilding
  • byroad
  • railroader
  • roader
  • roadworthy
  • tramroad
  • roadmaster
  • nonroad
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →