Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “river” come from?

river (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman rivere, from Old French riviere, from Latin rīpāria, from Latin rīpārius, from Latin rīpa, from Proto-Italic reipā, from Proto-Indo-European h₁réyp-eh₂.

river (Middle English): Alternative form of ryver

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of ryver

Ancestry of “river”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-NormanrivereAlternative form of riviere
2Old Frenchriviereriver
3Latinrīpāria—
4Latinrīpārius—
5Latinrīpa—
6Proto-Italicreipā—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁réyp-eh₂—

Words derived from “river”

  • river
  • River
  • riverbank
  • riverside
  • upriver
  • riverine
  • downriver
  • riverbed
  • riverfront
  • riverboat
  • Riverton
  • riverman
  • riverscape
  • riverward
  • midriver
  • riverwards
  • riverwalk
  • riverwater
  • riverlike
  • riverway
  • rivercraft
  • riverless
  • riverbend
  • rivery
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁réyp-eh₂ →