Etymology Explorer › Middle Low German

Where does “rif” come from?

rif (Middle Low German) comes from Old Norse rif, from Proto-Germanic ribją, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rebʰ- — to cover, to roof; rib.

Ancestry of “rif”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norserifrib, reef; reef
2Proto-Germanicribjąrib; reef, ridge
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rebʰ-to cover, to roof; rib

Words derived from “rif”

  • Riff
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rebʰ- →