Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “rope” come from?

rope (Middle English) comes from Old English rāp, from Proto-West Germanic raip, from Proto-Germanic raipaz, from Proto-Indo-European roypnós — strap, band, rope.

Ancestry of “rope”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrāprope, cord, cable; strap, band, cord
2Proto-West Germanicraipstrip, band
3Proto-Germanicraipazstrip; margin; strap; band; rein; cord; rope;...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanroypnósstrap, band, rope

Words derived from “rope”

  • rope
  • ropes
  • tightrope
  • roping
  • ropy
  • roper
  • ropelike
  • towrope
  • ropewalk
  • ropemaker
  • ropeway
  • ropiness
  • ropework
  • toprope
  • ropery
  • footrope
  • ropemaking
  • ropedancing
  • headrope
  • unrope
  • ropeable
  • ropewalker
  • manrope
  • ropeless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European roypnós →