Where does “Rechtssache” come from?

Rechtssache (German) comes 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.

Rechtssache (German): legal case

Definitions

  1. legal case

Ancestry of “Rechtssache”, step by step

Rechtssache traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German recht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanrechtright; proper, correct; true, real
2Middle High Germanreht
3Old High Germanrehtright
4Proto-West Germanicrehtstraight; right, correct; morally upright, just
5Proto-Germanicrehtazright, straight; morally upright, just
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵtósstraightened, right, upright
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

via German sache

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansachematter, affair, case, question, issue
2Middle High Germansache
3Old High Germansahha
4Proto-West Germanicsakuaccusation, charge; case
5Proto-Germanicsakōquarrel; charge, case, lawsuit; thing, matter
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂g-to seek out
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtósEvery word from Proto-Germanic rehtaz