Where does “roo” come from?
roo (Middle English) comes from Old English rō, from Proto-West Germanic rōu, from Proto-Germanic *rōō, from Proto-Indo-European h₁reh₁- — to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare.
roo (Middle English): Alternative form of ro
Ancestry of “roo”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | rō | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | rōu | calm, quiet; rest, repose |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *rōō | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁reh₁- | to row; to separate; loose, sparse, rare |