Where does “rift” come from?
rift (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk rive, from Old Norse hrífa, from Proto-Germanic hrībaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreybʰ- — to scratch, to tear.
rift (Norwegian Nynorsk): a rip, tear; a break; a scratch
Definitions
- a rip, tear; a break; a scratch
Ancestry of “rift”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwegian Nynorsk | rive | a rake; Alternative form of riva |
| 2 | Old Norse | hrífa | rake; to grip, snatch |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hrībaną | to scratch; to snatch, to grab |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreybʰ- | to scratch, to tear |