Where does “ri” come from?

ri (Middle Irish) comes from Old Irish rí, from Proto-Celtic rīxs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃rḗǵs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- — to straighten, to right oneself; right; just.

ri (Middle Irish): king

Definitions

  1. king

Ancestry of “ri”, step by step

ri traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Irish rí

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Irishríking
2Proto-Celticrīxsking
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

via Old Irish fri

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Irishfritowards, to; against; with
2Proto-Celticwrit-against, opposite
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “ri”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃rḗǵs →Every word from Proto-Celtic rīxs →