Where does “rib” come from?
rib (Middle English) comes from Old English ribb, from Proto-West Germanic ribb, from Proto-Germanic ribją, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rebʰ- — to cover, to roof; rib.
Ancestry of “rib”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ribb | rib |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | ribb | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ribją | rib; reef, ridge |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁rebʰ- | to cover, to roof; rib |