Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “reinbowe” come from?

reinbowe (Middle English) comes from Old English reġnboga, from Proto-Germanic regnabugô, from Proto-Germanic bugô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰugʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- — to bend; curve, arch.

Ancestry of “reinbowe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishreġnbogarainbow
2Proto-Germanicregnabugôrainbow
3Proto-Germanicbugôbow
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰugʰ-bow; arch
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewgʰ-to bend; curve, arch

Words derived from “reinbowe”

  • rainbow
  • rainbowlike
  • rainbowfish
  • rainbowy
  • rainbowism
  • rainbowish
  • rainbows
  • rainbow ceiling
  • renbo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- →