Where does “rife” come from?
rife (Middle English) comes from Old English rīfe, from Proto-Germanic rībaz, from Proto-Indo-European reyp- — to tear , rip.
Ancestry of “rife”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | rīfe | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | rībaz | generous; abundant |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | reyp- | to tear , rip |
Words derived from “rife”