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.
Ancestry of “ri”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | rí | king |
| 2 | Proto-Celtic | rīxs | king |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃rḗǵs | king, ruler |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |