Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rut” come from?

rut (English) comes from Middle English route, from Middle French route, from Old French route, from Latin rupta, from Latin ruptus, from Latin rumpō, from Proto-Indo-European Hrunépti, from Proto-Indo-European Hrewp- — to tear out, dig out, open, acquire.

Ancestry of “rut”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrouteroute; "a group of people"; the proper condition...
2Middle Frenchrouteroad; military defeat; retreat
3Old Frenchrouteroute
4Latinruptanominative feminine singular of ruptus;...
5Latinruptusbroken; ruptured, burst
6Latinrumpō—
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHrunéptito be breaking
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanHrewp-to break, tear
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanHrew-to tear out, dig out, open, acquire
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hrew- →