Where does “roof” come from?
roof (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch rōf, from Proto-Germanic *raub, from Proto-Germanic raubaz, from Proto-Indo-European Hrewp-, from Proto-Indo-European Hrew- — to tear out, dig out, open, acquire.
Ancestry of “roof”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | rōf | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *raub | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | raubaz | rape, pillage, robbery; that which is stolen,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | Hrewp- | to break, tear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | Hrew- | to tear out, dig out, open, acquire |
Words derived from “roof”