Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “rechts” come from?

rechts (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.

rechts (German): on the right; to the right; the right-hand side

Definitions

  1. on the right; to the right; the right-hand side

Ancestry of “rechts”, step by step

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

Words derived from “rechts”

  • rechtsodrisch
  • rechtsmaasisch
  • rechtsweserisch
  • rechtsdonauisch
  • Rechtsverkehr
  • Rechtsruck
  • rechtsdrehend
  • rechtselbisch
  • rechtsdünisch
  • rechtsrheinisch
  • Rechtshänder
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →