Where does “ref” come from?
ref (Middle English) comes from Old English rēaf, from Proto-West Germanic raub, from Proto-Germanic raubō, from Proto-Indo-European reup- — to break; to tear, peel.
ref (Middle English): Alternative form of reif
Ancestry of “ref”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | rēaf | spoils, booty; spoils, booty, dress, armour,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | raub | rape, pillage, robbery; that which is stolen,... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | raubō | rift |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | reup- | to break; to tear, peel |