Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “rek” come from?

rek (Middle English) comes from Old English rēc, from Proto-West Germanic rauki, from Proto-Germanic raukiz, from Proto-Indo-European rewǵ-, from Proto-Indo-European rew- — to roar, growl, grumble; to roar; growl; grumble;...

rek (Middle English): drift; thing tossed ashore; jetsam

Definitions

  1. drift; thing tossed ashore; jetsam

Ancestry of “rek”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrēc—
2Proto-West Germanicraukismoke
3Proto-Germanicraukizsmoke, vapour
4Proto-Indo-Europeanrewǵ-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanrew-to roar, growl, grumble; to roar; growl; grumble;...

Words derived from “rek”

  • reeking
  • reek
  • reeky
  • reekingly
  • areek
  • reeker
  • reek
Every word from Proto-Indo-European rew- →