Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “reif” come from?

reif (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.

reif (Middle English): A piece of clothing or gear, especially priestly;...

Definitions

  1. A piece of clothing or gear, especially priestly;...

Ancestry of “reif”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrēafspoils, booty; spoils, booty, dress, armour,...
2Proto-West Germanicraubrape, pillage, robbery; that which is stolen,...
3Proto-Germanicraubōrift
4Proto-Indo-Europeanreup-to break; to tear, peel

Words derived from “reif”

  • reeve
  • reif
  • hogreeve
  • landreeve
  • shire-reeve
  • ref
  • ræf
  • raf
  • reve
  • reif
Every word from Proto-Indo-European reup- →