Where does “rita” come from?
rita (Icelandic) comes from Old Norse ríta, from Proto-Germanic wrītaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
Ancestry of “rita”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | ríta | to score, log, outline |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | wrītaną | to scratch, carve; to engrave, inscribe, write |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |