Where does “öffentlich-rechtlich” come from?

öffentlich-rechtlich (German) comes from German rechtlich, from German recht, from Middle High German reht, from Old High German reht, from Proto-West Germanic reht, from Proto-Germanic rehtaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtós, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

öffentlich-rechtlich (German): public, public service

Definitions

  1. public, public service

Ancestry of “öffentlich-rechtlich”, step by step

öffentlich-rechtlich traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German rechtlich

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanrechtlichlegal; lawful
2Germanrechtright; proper, correct; true, real
3Middle High Germanreht
4Old High Germanrehtright
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

via German öffentlich

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanöffentlichpublic
2Germanoffenopen; frank, candid; honest, sincere
3Middle High Germanoffen
4Old High Germanoffanopen; obvious; clear
5Proto-West Germanic*opanopen
6Proto-Germanicupanazopen
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtósEvery word from Proto-Germanic rehtaz