Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “uprights” come from?

Uprights derives from Middle English upright, from Old English upriht, from Proto-Germanic upprehtaz, literally meaning straight or erect in position or posture.

uprights (English): Vertical posts of the goal; plural of upright

Definitions

  1. Vertical posts of the goal; plural of upright

Ancestry of “uprights”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishuprightVertical; erect; Greater in height than breadth;...
2Middle Englishupright—
3Old Englishuprihtupright, erect
4Old Englishrihtstraight; right, true, correct; rightful,...
5Proto-West Germanicrehtstraight; right, correct; morally upright, just
6Proto-Germanicrehtazright, straight; morally upright, just
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵtósstraightened, right, upright
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →