Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “room” come from?

Room comes from Middle English rome, from Old English rūme, from Proto-Germanic rūmaz, from Proto-Indo-European rowə-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European rewh₁-.

room (English): Opportunity or scope; Space "for" something, or...

Definitions

  1. Opportunity or scope; Space "for" something, or...

Ancestry of “room”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishroumA space or area; A room
2Old Englishrūmroom, space; roomy, spacious, ample, extensive,...
3Proto-West Germanicrūmroomy, spacious; room, open space
4Proto-Germanicrūmazroomy, spacious, open
5Proto-Indo-Europeanrewh₁-free space

Words derived from “room”

  • classroom
  • bedroom
  • bathroom
  • courtroom
  • ballroom
  • roommate
  • schoolroom
  • restroom
  • roomy
  • storeroom
  • stateroom
  • newsroom
  • anteroom
  • boardroom
  • showroom
  • workroom
  • washroom
  • darkroom
  • playroom
  • barroom
  • lunchroom
  • roomful
  • homeroom
  • wardroom
Every word from Proto-Indo-European rewh₁- →