Where does “ruff” come from?
Ruff derives from Old French roffle, whose origin and meaning remain uncertain.
ruff (English): A circular frill or ruffle on a garment,...
Definitions
- A circular frill or ruffle on a garment,...
Ancestry of “ruff”, step by step
ruff traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via German Ruf
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Ruf | call; reputation |
| 2 | Middle High German | ruof | — |
| 3 | Old High German | ruof | — |
| 4 | Old High German | ruofan | to call |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hrōpan | to cry out, to call, to shout |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hrōpaną | to cry out, call, shout |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |