Where does “rust” come from?

rust (Middle English) comes from Old English rūst, from Proto-Germanic rustaz, from Proto-Indo-European rudʰso-, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.

rust (Middle English): rust oxidisation of iron or steel

Definitions

  1. rust oxidisation of iron or steel

Ancestry of “rust”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishrūstrust
2Proto-Germanicrustazrust
3Proto-Indo-Europeanrudʰso-red
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red

Words derived from “rust”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- →
rust — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer