Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “right” come from?

right (Middle English) comes from Old English riht, from Proto-West Germanic reht, from Proto-Germanic rehtaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵtós, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

right (Middle English): A good deed, right action; A just or equitable...

Definitions

  1. A good deed, right action; A just or equitable...

Ancestry of “right”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrihtstraight; right, true, correct; rightful,...
2Proto-West Germanicrehtstraight; right, correct; morally upright, just
3Proto-Germanicrehtazright, straight; morally upright, just
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵtósstraightened, right, upright
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “right”

  • right
  • rights
  • copyright
  • rightly
  • rite
  • alright
  • birthright
  • rightness
  • rightmost
  • rightward
  • rightist
  • copyrightable
  • righto
  • reet
  • righty
  • rightwards
  • playright
  • headright
  • rightless
  • uncopyrightable
  • copyrightability
  • rightest
  • rightlessness
  • rightism
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →