Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “real” come from?

real (Middle English) comes from Old French reel, from Latin reālis, from Latin rēs, from Latin vindicatio, from Latin vindicō, from Latin vindex, from Latin dīcō, from Latin -tiō — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

real (Middle English): real, true, factual; concerning possessions;...

Definitions

  1. real, true, factual; concerning possessions;...

Ancestry of “real”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchreel—
2Latinreālis—
3Latinrēs—
4Latinvindicatiocivil lawsuit; protection, defence; vindication;...
5Latinvindicō—
6Latinvindexclaimant, vindicator
7Latindīcō—
8Latin-tiō—
9Latindissertātiō—
10Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
11Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
12Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
13Latincalceusshoe
14Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
15Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “real”

  • real
  • realistic
  • realism
  • realist
  • unrealistic
  • unreal
  • realistically
  • realtime
  • realtor
  • unrealistically
  • realness
  • neorealism
  • neorealist
  • hyperreal
  • photorealistic
  • antirealist
  • antirealism
  • photorealism
  • nonrealistic
  • realest
  • nonreal
  • unrealism
  • nonrealist
  • hyperrealistic
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →