Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “rewe” come from?

rewe (Middle English) comes from Old English rǣw, from Proto-Germanic raiwō, from Proto-Indo-European reyk- — to tear, scratch; streak; to carve, scratch, etch.

rewe (Middle English): pity, sorrow, rue; sad, sorrowful; merciful

Definitions

  1. pity, sorrow, rue; sad, sorrowful; merciful

Ancestry of “rewe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrǣwline, row
2Proto-Germanicraiwō—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanreyk-to tear, scratch; streak; to carve, scratch, etch

Words derived from “rewe”

  • row
  • raw
  • ruthless
  • rue
  • rowed
  • ruthlessly
  • rowdy
  • ruthlessness
  • rowboat
  • rawhide
  • ruth
  • rawness
  • rawboned
  • rowdyism
  • rowdiness
  • windrow
  • rowhouse
  • rawly
  • arow
  • fencerow
  • rowdyish
  • multirow
  • cornrow
  • ruthful
Every word from Proto-Indo-European reyk- →