Where does “rank” come from?
rank (Middle English) comes from Old English ranc, from Proto-Germanic rankaz, from Proto-Indo-European reǵ- — to bind; straight, direct; straight, right.
rank (Middle English): line, row; strong, proud
Ancestry of “rank”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ranc | proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, froward,... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | rankaz | erect, upright |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | reǵ- | to bind; straight, direct; straight, right |
Words derived from “rank”