Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “erect” come from?

erect (Middle English) comes from Latin ērectus, from Latin ērigō, from Latin regō, from Proto-Italic regō, from Proto-Indo-European h₃réǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

Ancestry of “erect”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinērectus—
2Latinērigō—
3Latinregō—
4Proto-Italicregō—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃réǵetito be straightening, to be setting upright
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “erect”

  • erect
  • erectness
  • erectly
  • semierect
  • suberect
  • reerect
  • erectable
  • erecteth
  • erectogenic
  • erective
  • nonerect
  • erecter
  • erectest
  • inerect
  • re-erect
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →